Just a job offer (one-shot)

A.N: yep it's me after so long, kinda nice to come back. Well this story over here features the OC of Lou which is an awesome character that you should definitely check on. Might do more in the future? Idk depends in how this turns out :)!

The beautiful morning turned into a stressing afternoon for Lou as she saw every shop owner in Valentine denying her requests for a job, even the smallest one was refused time and time again. It was very frustratrating to see her goal to reach Blackwater being set back at least one week or worse, a month, because she had spent all the remaining money she had left in staying at a hotel for the night.

With no power over the situation anymore, Lou could only sit outside of the bar watching people go by; "I really could use a little of that luck I had back when I escaped prision right now!...what am I gonna do? Even if I had a place for tonight how am I gonna get enough supplies for the rest of the ride?" Lou thought nervously tapping the ground with her feet, she closed her eyes for a moment to focus, maybe like that an idea would come to her for the rescue, after all improvising was her thing. The distant cheer of the drunk people inside the bar immediately caught her attention....what if...?

"I would like to sing here tonight, just tonight!" With her hopes up again, Lou almost slammed her hand against a table while talking to the bartender

"Really miss? I mean alright I got a pianist already and a singer such as you would certainly attract more people..." The man scratched his chin

"I won't ask for an excessive amount of money, at least a few dollars for the hotel room tonight!" Her eyes brightened up "Even if I do it good you could hire me for a week!"

"Alright, alright! You can sing today here! If you think your voice won't be loud enough for the people upstairs, just tell me and I'll see what I can do to gather more people in here"

"Thank you so much!!!! You saved me mister! Believe me I will this if one day I see your bar in need of clients!" Lou sighed relieved at last

"You better this, because I do will it if you left a good impression!" The bartender laughed and stopped paying attention to the lady, focusing in the glasses that he still had to clean instead.

Finally feeling the problems of her life fading away, Lou waited sitting in one of the tables of the bar very impatiently for the day to end and see the first batch of people entering the bar after a long day of hard work. She pulled out her watch that she still had in her from the theater days and focused her attention in the "tic, tac" noises coming from one of the few things she still had from that wonderful time in her life. Such was her happiness for the wonderful turn of events that had just happened she hummed a song to herself.

●●●

The only thing in the mind of Jonah when he saw the sign of "VALENTINE" appearing in the distance was how much he would enjoy having quality meal for a change, after a full day of eating canned food the sight of having a good plate filled his mouth with saliva.

Judging that he could unload the cargo off from the wagon after his stomach was full, Jonah slowly descended from the wagon and made his way to the bar. From the outside he could hear already the party that was being formed in the inside, just like he ed the old good hearted Valentine.

Once inside Jonah tipped his hat while ignoring everyone, he was too tired to talk or to the drunk bastards that were around him so he immediately went to the bartender for a drink and some food

"Jonah! Has been a long time sir, what can I get ya in this very fine night?" The bartender looked from Jonah to something behind him

"Oh just a little bit of food, I know you still cook an amazing meat around here, I haven't eat something not raw in days..." Jonah found the behavior a little odd from the owner

"I'll be right back with your order then" Just before the bartender was about to go towards the "vault" door of the bar he suddenly came back and said "Oh! Almost forgot, sit down in one of the tables over there, there's a special show tonight, you won't regret it friend!"

Jonah giggled a bit to himself: a show? What did Benny finally learned to play another song in the piano? Would he be replaced by someone younger?, those were one of the few questions that were ing through the old man mind while he sat down in a chair, with the music hitting his ears from behind.

A few minutes later a lady, dressed with a white shirt and a long blue skirt was coming to the first floor of the bar; it slightly caught the attention of Jonah, mostly for how strange was it for someone who was dressed that elegantly to be in a pub. He shook his head, again Jonah was overthrowing way too much the people around him, he just needed to focus on the food he was gonna eat and the beer in his hand.

The lady disappeared from his view as he walked towards the door, until then it was just another client from the bar. Right until a voice, comparable with the one of an angel started to slowly sing ri from the drunk chatter around her. The bar quickly went quiet as the voice continued to sing now accompanied by the piano, it was something truly magical, wonderful, unbelievable for Jonah if his ears weren't listening very well.

He turned his whole body in the chair to see the scene more clear, and the sight amazed him to no end. The lady with the fancy clothes was leaning on the piano while singing a beautiful melody, the drunken people around were staring at her amazed by the unique ans beautiful voice she had. Jonah had the same feelings, the same amazed expression written all over his face, it was even more than just a pretty voice for him, it kinda reminded to old Jonah Maverick of his wife Charlotte, how her singing voice was always there for him; when she died he never again heard any other voice that could make him feel a thing...until now.

"Beautiful voice ain't it? This is her debut in here in fact" the bartender spoke as he placed the plate in the table

"Geez you scared me!" Jonah almost jumped from his chair, finally snapping back to reality "What...how does a traveler that dresses up so nicely ends up singing in your bar?"

"Traveler? Nah, I think she was just a girl lost wandering in town that wanted to make a quick buck, and damm is she earning the money I promised"

"This isn't such a nice place for someone...with that voice" Jonah's feelings were speaking for him now "It really isn't, even less so if she was a traveler...with what clothes she came to you?"

"Oh I don't know, leather jacket, gun belt in her hip, guns and a hat in her head, she seemed to have slept last night in the hotel" the bartender sat down with Jonah

"You...idiot! You gave that job to a wanderer? Or a gunslinger? What the heck is wrong with you?" Jonah seemed to get more annoyed by the situation

"What I was supposed to do? Nobody on my watch is touching the bar or the vault without my permission, I have quite some stash so she wouldn't be so useful by going to my supplier for more merchandise...she knew how to sing so she could sing at my bar!"

"I want her out..." Jonah started to eat, decided on what he would do next

"I don't bloody get where you are going with this chat...I really don't know, why the sudden care for a stranger? Why she can't work here? What are you going to do?"

"Well I am going towards the goal of getting her out of this dump of a bar, no offense but if those clients drink more than they can handle you'll need someone sober enough to kick them out of the saloon for disrespecting the singer, because she is probably a wanderer or someone that just didn't had enough money to go wherever her destination was and because why should I explain myself to you...now let me finish this meal, is a very good one" Jonah ate faster, not truly enjoying the food but just doing it to empty the plate and to make sure his stomach was full

Once the song was over, the lady singer was just about to go upstairs again when Jonah stood up from his chair and, with shyness, touched her arm.

"Uh...hi? Hi miss excuse me I wanted to-" Jonah said nervous of her reaction

"Hey, no need for compliments I was just doing this for the money" The lady said about to leave the conversation taking Jonah for a drunken irer

"That was...what I wanted to talk about...if you have a minute of your time, it will be very short" Jonah closed his eyes for a second, idiot, that sounded even more weird that it should had been

"Oh? What is it then?" The lady turned around finally, her makeup remarked her beautiful eyes and cheeks

"I..am Jonah Maverick from Mavericks...yes I know, very genius name for a company..." Jonah made a pause, hopefully making her laugh "I am a trader and not a very good one, I mean a good one but old enough to have problems when getting things off from my wagon" He was becoming more nervous every second he talked, although his smiled hid that from her

"Please do go on with this...proposal" the lady laughed, the jokes worked "I'm Lou by the way, pleasure to meet Jonah Maverick from Mavericks trader company"

"Yeah it doesn't sound too good does it?" Jonah giggled, relaxed that she didn't took it the wrong way "So the way I see it you have a choice, either you stay here with your beautiful voice at the service of a bunch of drunk guys that the owner pays well but isn't nearly enough to for what those drunk idiots could do....or you come working with me, an old man that isn't much of a handsome guy and doesn't have the house anybody dreams off but pays good and would make sure nothing happens to you"

"How far you live from here Mister Maverick? If I go with you I might give you my decision" Lou was intrigued in what the old man was offering and she could ask him to stay in his home for the night because of the darkness outside even if she refused the offer

"Oh..uh not too far from here, ten minutes riding in a wagon from the south actually!" Jonah pointed to the direction he was giving her with enthusiasm

"Right then...let me get my stuff and I shall be with you outside of the bar in a second!" Lou said while walking backwards towards the stairs

"Yeah sure no problem! I...see you by the medic store!" Jonah waved goodbye, even if they were going to see each other again in five minutes, and rushed to his wagon outside.

Jonah banged the door of the medical store and didn't stopped doing it until the doctor, barely awake and a little annoyed, opened it aggressively. The old man explained the shop owner that his merchandise had arrived and that he needed help getting it down from his wagon.

Two minutes flew by and Lou appeared from the dark night walking towards the wagon, Jonah waved at her while smiling clearly happy that she decided to give him an opportunity.

"Right give me the money and make it obvious" Jonah whispered the shop owner just before Lou could see them fully

"Wha-"

"Just do it!" Jonah gave him a death stare for a few seconds before focusing on Lou "Ah there you are! I am so glad you decided to give my opportunity a chance"

"Of course mister Maverick, should I help you with anything?" Lou offered, kindly

"You arrived just a bit late for that I'm afraid" Jonah grabbed the money and held it so she could see the stash "Oh thank you for the pay Mister Robinson, I expect you don't take too long in giving me...us another job to do" Jonah lack of subtetly made his intentions too obvious

"I...will?" The shop owner was totally confused by the scene and decided to leave before it would get even more weird

"Quite some money you could earn in the trader business huh?" Lou didn't said anything about the obvious indirect from Jonah, but she couldn't hold her laughter at how sweet he wanted to be seen

"Yeah right? And this is from the small cargos I can handle, imagine how big the supplies would be if I had a helping hand such as yours! Besides is honest work...!" Jonah tapped his leg with his fingers, getting nervous again "Shall we go then?" He pointed at the wagon

"We shall Mister Maverick" Lou returned the gesture as she got on the wagon

The ride was short as Jonah had said before, it didnt take more than ten minutes for them to arrive at a house with barn, outhouse and a stable for the horses. The sight made Lou feel a little sad for Jonah Maverick. Almost all of it was in ruins or close to be a ruin, not decrepit or poorly taken care of, but just plain old and simple just like the man that had lived there for God knows how long.

She got off from the wagon having a little tour around the property while Jonah handled the horses and the transport, he secured them in a spot where the horses shouldn't flee if they would get spooked by something and waited for Lou at the door; hoping the state of the house wouldn't scare her away, but his worries were soon calmed by her coming back from the tour smiling

"I have to say sir Jonah that you have a nice place in here, kinda comfortable" Lou studied the outside of the house while talking

"I know it isn't the best, but I had been using the money lately to quite frankly stay alive, have some clothes that don't smell bad and the wagon, the bloody thing costed more that this property actually! But let's just get inside, your throat must be tired of all the singing you have already done" Jonah said while opening the front door of the house and entering first so he could at least explain why the disorder inside the house.

He stepped aside to let her see the view of the main bedroom and kitchen, and only when he thought she had seen it well he showed her the other room, where she would likely stay in. The sight wasn't too bad for a house that old but Jonah feared it was something unbearable for Lou that would smack him in the face, insult him and walk away promising to never return to that dump.

"I...I..." Lou stuttered after seeing all the house and staring at Jonah

"Ok, okay I know what you are thinking, that the house is a dump and that you shouldn't waste your time here anymore...but...BUT! I promise you I will fix it and make it actually a living place according to your own personal taste, we can get some of the money we would earn to fix this place up in no time and you wouldn't even need to do much of the work because I can do it...just...just think about it for one more second please" Jonah was talking very fast, nervous and staring at Lou as well, his eyes desperately needing her to stay and not leave him there alone

"I was gonna say that it works for me so far! I mean yeah the first day will be a bit uncomfortable but I can adapt! And it's a great idea to rebuild the house or do some touches to it! But no really I don't mind working just the same or harder than you...it seems you have worked enough in your life already" and there it was, her laughter again, soothing and gently calming Jonah down from his insecure clouds

"Great!!! Great thank you so much for this I won't let you down, get some well deserved rest and when you are ready you come to me and we could start making small jobs just so you get used to it! And I can teach you many things along the way dont you think I can't teach you one thing or two!" Jonah smiled more brightly than ever before, in his happiness he hugged her for just a second, just barely for him to react to what he was doing "Sorry is just...it makes me very happy you said yes...it...it means a lot really for me to know you will be working with me too"

"I'm glad you feel that way" She giggled, gently and friendly pushing Jonah

"Alright alright enough with me fooling around..." Jonah looked to the main room "You know what? You can stay with my bed until we can buy another proper one for you to stay"

"Oh no, no, no! I don't mind if I-" Lou shook her head and extender her hands, kindly refusing the offer

"Please...I insist"

"Well then I insist in this as well!" She crossed her arms playfully

"Alright look you can have it only for today, because you are my guest and I wanna leave a good impression. How does that sound?" Jonah giggled

"Alright Mister Maverick" Lou smirked "I will accept it only for today"

"Good..." Jonah went for one blanket he had under his bed and put it on top of the bed, looking at it satisfied with the result "Just tell me if you need anything"

"Of course mister" Lou sighed, she was happy, weird considering how bad the house looked but she couldnt avoid thinking how good things were going to be for her from then on

"Oh and one last thing" Jonah blew the candles, leaving the moon as the only source of light in the house "Just call me Jonah, the mister makes me feel even older okay?"

"Okay Jonah" she replied, still smiling

"Have good dreams, miss Lou" and having said that he disappeared into the other room

Lou got comfortable pretty quickly in that bed, she looked at the ceiling made out of wood, between the planks the light of the moon shined down on her maybe as a way of promising her everything was gonna be alright. Just before she closed her eyes the last thought that crossed her head is that maybe...just maybe...she could stay with Jonah working with him a little more than just a week, her final true goal could wait a little longer.