[M4M] [Script Offer] It gets awful lonely out here on the prairie... [cowboys] [partners] [kissing] [protector] [big dumb horse] [that is not a euphemism] [soothing] [relaxing] [sleep aid] [quiet]

This script is free WITH CREDIT GIVEN, to be used for monetization, credit going to u/igrokyou on Reddit (or @GrokAutumns on Twitter).

[] - tone/stage direction

[sfx: ] - sfx, entirely optional

All lines can be improvised on, and all sfx is very, very optional.

Furthermore, this script is, if you'd like, full of long, ambient silences; this is fully optional and is not mandatory.

A slow, lazy drawl would be nice, but once again, not mandatory.

If not using SFX, please fill the long silences with deep, slow breaths.

This script is 1,637 words.

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[ambient noise sfx: crackling fire burning down to its embers; the sounds of crickets in a thick, warm summer night, slowly fading away and resetting. horse / cows grazing, the sounds of wind blowing grass, crunch of horse on grass, hoofsteps, cows lowing - pick and choose any combination between all of these as you go through this script. for now...]

[ambient noises, long silence...]

[spits] Shake my hand. It's how we make deals, out in the bigger towns.

[pause]

You're my partner now.

[silence (4-5 seconds); ambient noises]

...You were a big help today, son. I don't know if I coulda rustled up them fleein' cows alone; you and your little pony did most of the work. Tough - smart - *determined* gal, ain't she? Just like her rider.

[long silence (8-10 seconds); ambient noises]

You'll have to forgive me, I don't talk too often. I bet my voice is comin' out real rusty, cause I sure don't use it much.

[long silence (8-10 seconds); ambient noises]

[deep breath in] Tell ya the truth, son?

It gets awful lonely out here on the prairie, rustlin' cow-herds through the long summer nights to get to the markets in the bigger towns. I mean, I got that big ol' dumb horse, Hayseed - yeah I'm talkin' bout you, Hayseed - who I love an awful lot, but he's no - *human* company, if ya get me.

So while I'm not tickled that you decided to ride away from home all those months ago and stumble on me out here, specifically the "run away from home" part, I *am* glad that you're here.

Ya likin' it so far?

I'm glad.

[long silence; ambient noise]

It might be real warm out tonight, hot and dusty, hard to sleep in, but you should get some rest, partner. Herdin's ain't easy, and while I've no doubt that you're tough, ranch-raised boys rarely ain't, but if you can get some rest you should. I've not said it much, but I can see you gettin' real haggard some of those days ya don't sleep.

Of *course* we gotta keep a watch goin', but it's not like Hayseed's not a light sleeper, and he'll make some *real* noise if he sees some yahoos ridin' up. *I'm* a light sleeper, at that, and I got *my* revolver loaded and ready to go if somebody raises a cloud of dust, let alone tries to rustle some of the cattle.

Ya thinkin' bout somethin' deep, boy?

I know yer ma taught you t' read, but ain't much call for books out here. They spoil awful fast if ya get dirt or sand on 'em, and you're pretty much always gonna get one or both of 'em out here.

C'mon, get some rest. You're my partner now, we shook on it, and I gotta take care of ya.

Curl up and think - sleepy thoughts, I guess. I ain't never put nobody to sleep before. Heck, I ain't talked this much to another human bein' since I was livin' a rancher life with *my* ma and pa, like you.

Hayseed gets most of my talk, dontcha? He's a real good listener, my Hayseed.

Ah, *heck*. Might wanna get out of the way, he's comin' for the saltlicks I got in that there saddlebag. He's a real big goof but he'll trample over ya if ya don't watch it.

...Hayseed! Whoa! C'mon, Hayseed! [whistles] Hayseed, c'mon, don't make me tie ya to a tree again, I thought we'd gotten over *this* in the last town!

I really don't wanna have to get up and get over there, Hayseed, so you c'mon now and [sfx: horse whinnies] -- alright, alright...you'll get an apple in the mornin', alright? You go on now... get some rest...

[pause]

And you should too, partner.

[deep, slow breathing]

Oh, me? What about my life before I became a cowboy ridin' cross the prairie? Ain't nothin' that you wanna hear about. Ain't a pretty story.

Just another idiot gettin' hisself into things that he near couldn't get out of. Nearly got sent to jail for a trifle or two - snuck a pretty thing out of her house on her say-so, got caught, had the sheriff near blow my ears off with his shoutin' and that pretty thing's father near blow my head off with his six-shooter. Swore myself off women from that point. Swore myself off relationships in general, t' tell ya the truth.

Naw, I probably ain't never gonna get married.

...I've been by myself out on the prairie ever since. They'll probably bury me out here.

[deep breath] I can see pity in your eyes, son, but I don't need none of that.

Anyway, I *am* real glad that you're here - but you should get some shut-eye.

[long silence, filled with deep breaths; sfx: crackling fire, crickets, rustling of a bedroll]

[low, quiet] ...You've been a man near four years now, partner; I know yer sick of the rancher life but this ain't a much better life in the long run. Quieter, yeah, ain't nobody around for miles and miles... but lonelier, too, and if ya get hurt ya gotta rely on yourself; ain't no ma or pa or yer brothers and sisters to patch ya up or take care of ya. [huff of laughter] Ain't much a-ways to find a wife, neither.

[long silence; ambient noises again]

...Have I ever been in love? [huff of laughter] Partner, yer always askin' me questions like that. I guess I'm feelin' a little talkative tonight, so - me, I guess I've had a little experience with fallin' in love and fallin' outta it. Tell ya the truth, my only real love's for the land and my job, and maybe I got a little tucked away for big ol' Hayseed over there. But I ain't the fanciful type, nor one for romance.

[shorter silence]

You want a man who'll do the hard jobs or the rough ones, that's me. You want a man who'll scrape and bow to the other gennelmen in the big cities - well, I might've been that before but I ain't that now.

[long silence; ambient noises]

[lower, quieter, intimate] ...Tell ya the truth, partner, I've had heartbreak time and time again. Heartbreak's bout the same as a broken leg for a cowboy. Sometimes, worse. Not many cowboys'll tell ya that, but I will. So don't you come off all doe-eyed or anythin' like that with me. I know it seems awful fanciful-like, ridin' off into the sunset with a mysterious stranger from outta town, but I think you've learned across these months it ain't like that. And I ain't like that, either. I'm just a workin' man, same as any other.

[surprised] Kiss? [huff of laughter] Ya wanna kiss me, partner? Aw, shucks. I see you're gettin' a little bolder.

[sighs]

Will it get ya to sleep? I shouldn't, but - if ya really want to, I will. But we ain't gonna talk about this in the mornin', ya hear?

....I can see yer missin' home, a little... [sighs] alright, if ya still want to - and it's hot and dusty now but it's gonna get cold real fast - ain't no clouds in the sky I can see - so c'mon and roll yer bedroll closer. Got yer knife close to hand? Good.

I'm gonna put an arm around ya, cradle ya... you were a good boy for yer mam, I bet - [huff of laughter] maybe on another night, I'mma teach ya how to roll some knucklebones or play cards; cowboys like us, we gotta know how to do both, or some hustler's gonna drink away our money. If you don't know I'll teach ya.

[pause]

Boy, ya sure *are* insistent. Sure, I can teach ya how to kiss, too. If you're sure you wanna learn from me.

pause]

Lean in real close, partner - I'm gonna kiss ya now.

[kissing]

Gotta take your time with this, partner. I'm gonna enjoy kissin' ya. Runnin' my hand up under your shirt, trailin' the lines of yer scars and yer skin.

Yer soft, partner... least-a-ways, compared to me.

[pause]

Naw, it's a good thing.

[really take your time with the kissing, slow and hot]

Yer a fast learner, ain'tcha.

[rumbling in the chest, not quite a growl] An' a 'lil kiss, just under your chin.

[kiss again, if you'd like]

[pause; ambient noises get a little louder]

[slowly, calmly, a cadence like talking to yourself, trying out putting the listener to sleep] Your eyes are closing, now. Don't ya worry... out here on the prairie, nothin's gonna get to my partner if I don't say so first. Or without Hayseed gettin' a word in, ain't that right, Hayseed?

[sfx: horse whuffs]

Other nights, I'll tell ya stories iff'n ya want, just 'lil rambles, nothin' too formal-like. 'Bout the places I've been, the people I've met.

Heh. Maybe I'll even tell ya 'bout the cities, if there's a good round'a whiskey in me. But I definitely'll tell ya 'bout the towns along the cattle trail. Heh. You might even get to see some of 'em. An' - there's this lonely 'lil bar out along the edge of the cattle trail, with a young barman I reckon you'd get on real well with. Like a house on fire, and son, I sure seen that.

[huff of laughter, trailing off]

[pause]

Alright. *Now* are ya gonna be able to get some shut-eye?

[huff of laughter]

Ya want me to keep you close as ya fall asleep? Demanding, aren'tcha? [chuckle]

I could, but - here, get under the bedroll and stay close between me an' the fire. It'll get awful cold near midnight, and I don't want ya woken up by shiverin' too hard.

Stay near my body heat, and son? Yer safe out here, s'long as yer by me, and big ol' Hayseed. Ya hear? Mm. I'll keep watch. Just sleep now.

[taking slower, deeper, steadier breaths, while ambient noises get louder, and then all noises slowly fade]