#I've seen so much hate for Sadie over there | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sankttealeaf · 1 year

Text

heavy is the heart

read on AO3 here ; posted march '23

fandom ; red dead redemption 2

characters ; arthur morgan, john marston, sadie adler, dutch van der linde

summary ;

"Arthur wondered whether or not he would have a dignified grave, or if he would be left behind on a job gone wrong, his body waiting for the ground to reclaim it - either that or chucked in an unmarked grave by the law. Or burned. Or thrown into a ditch. He thought about his death many times, too many for it to be normal." or, arthur starts wondering about life and what it could be, rather than what it is right now

other info ; takes place after 'horsemen, apocalypses'. arthur reflects on everything with various people. first time actually writing for these guys too ! 7.5k words

A moment's quiet. That's all Arthur wanted. Ideally, he would be by a lake or river, a camp set up on the sandy shore, a fish or two cooking over the fire whilst he looked up at the night sky, counting out all the stars he could see. An evening of reflection, a pause between running errands and following up leads provided by Dutch. Instead, the quiet moment happened at Shady Belle - the smell of gunpowder lingering in the air, as corpses of O'Driscoll men littered the camp ground. Kieran, poor Kieran, lifeless and headless lay on the floor - a reminder to all that no one turns on the O'Driscolls and gets away alive. The world had gone silent like it was in mourning. People had started to emerge from the house to assess the situation, wondering if the gunfight had finally ended, or if there were to be a second wave coming. Arthur could tell people were hesitant to relax, seeing it in the way Miss Grimshaw's face frowned, or how Hosea's shoulders were tense, squared up, ready for whatever came next. It was Dutch who broke the heavy silence, cutting through it with orders to get this place cleaned up and to get Kieran's body away and buried. Another soul gone. Another person lost. How many more would it take for this to all be over? He wondered if he was supposed to be added on that list.

Dutch's voice faded into the background as Arthur recalled a conversation he had with Kieran just days ago, right before he was heading off to Saint Denis to find Jack.

"I've seen some O'Driscoll boys around here," Kieran had said, confiding to Arthur as he tacked up his horse. "I don't think they've seen me, but thought you oughta know."

Arthur had said he would look into it, which seemed to relax Kieran a little as he then went on about his day. Kieran was one of theirs now, as much as it pained him to admit it. Deep down, a part of him would hate to see the kid hurt, or worse - dead, so it only made sense he would check into his claims. But, by the time he arrived back home from Saint Denis with little Jack back safe, the thought had slipped his mind completely. Thinking back on it now, he hardly saw the guy after the welcome home party they held for Jack…

A hearty slap on his shoulder brought him out from his thoughts as Dutch pulled him away from Kieran's body, where Charles and Reverend Swanson were moving the body with Hosea following close behind, Kieran's head in his hand.

"We gotta get moving again, Arthur," Dutch said, leading him away from the others.

"Kieran mentioned somethin' about the O'Driscoll boys being around here," he replied, shaking his head slightly in disbelief. "Didn't know if he was telling the truth, but I guess he was."

"It's too risky being here. If Colm knows where we are, who knows who else could come knocking on our door." Dutch let go of Arthur's shoulder, looking around at the gang starting to clean up and repair the camp. "I knew we should've gotten rid of him the moment we could. Once an O'Driscoll, always an O'Driscoll. The rat told them everything - I know of it."

"I don't think he told them so quickly," Arthur said, his gaze catching those who were relocating Kieran's body. He made a mental note to find out where they were burying him. "Fella put up a fight at least. I don't think they'd chop his head off for nothin', or remove his eyes like that…"

Dutch shook his head. "Kid was weak willed. Had nothin' in him. I reckon he told them the moment they grabbed him. The display was just to spook us. Make us think and panic, and then do somethin' stupid."

Arthur wasn't convinced, but he wasn't about to argue with Dutch over whether or not Kieran ratted them out quickly or not. He wanted to believe that the kid had some loyalty to them. Kieran, who was more than happy to shine up their saddles and brush down their horses without anyone asking him to, who kept to himself, who had only recently started to come out of his shell to others, who apologised to Abigail for not doing as much as he could to help find Jack. Kieran, who Arthur thought that with enough time could fully be a part of this gang. It was frustrating that he was taken away so quickly.

He was broken from his thoughts when orders were once again yelled out for other people to start clearing up the place. Miss Grimshaw and Pearson took the lead on cleaning up the O'Driscoll blood that now lined some of the tent and supply crates while those a little stronger dealt with removing the bodies. It was times like these that Arthur was glad for the large amount of gators that roam these parts. The bastards spook his horse to hell, but they were perfect at getting rid of a mess. With a firm but gentle pat on the shoulder, Dutch excused himself, making a comment on planning for something while giving Arthur a push towards John, who was beginning to help clean up.

Arthur watched him struggle to lift up an O'Driscoll for a moment before John let the body drop down on the floor and frowned at him.

"Well, ain't you gonna help me?" He asked, causing Arthur to chuckle.

"Thought I'd watch you struggle for a bit longer, just for the fun of it." He stayed still for a moment, hands resting on his gun belt and watched as John’s face scrunched up in frustration. Before he could complain anymore, Arthur grabbed the ankles of the body and lifted it up with ease.

“You’re a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know that, Morgan?” John said through a grunt, carrying most of the weight of the dead body. Arthur shifted his grip, trying to help relieve some of the heaviness. What were they feedin' these fellas?

"You'd miss me if I weren't here to keep you in line."

"You ain't even doing that! You're just laughin' at me all the goddamn time."

Arthur shook his head. "Not all the time."

"Most of the time." John stopped walking, having reached the bank of the swamp. He looked down into the murky water, like he had lost something in it.

"What're you looking for?" Arthur asked, noticing John frown in disappointment.

"Was hoping there was a gator nearby. We could give it a snack." He shrugged, giving the body a slight swing to get Arthur to let go and throw it into the water with him.

"And you wanted to watch it eat this?" Arthur's eyes widened in disbelief as he let go of the ankles and watched the body fall into the water, some droplets from the impact spraying up at them.

"I ain't seen a gator eat someone before," John replied, taking one last glance back at the swamp in hopes that one was nearby. Arthur waited for him to stop looking, before walking over to where the next body lay. "Thought it'd be fun."

"Almost got eaten by a gator a while ago," Arthur said as the two approached the next body. He gave it a kick so it lay flat and bent down, picking it up under its arms.

"Too bad you didn't," John replied with a laugh. "When was this?"

"A while ago now. Met some fella takin' pictures of animals. Albert Mason, or something like that." He waited for John to grab the ankles, and then they lifted the body up together. "Helped him a few times with his photographs, getting the animals in the right place. He was in the swamps, wanted a picture of a gator, so I had to lure it out."

"Y'know, when you head out for days, everyone thinks you're off being a tough outlaw, killin' people and stuff. But you're just out there… helping strangers take pictures of stuff?" John raised an eyebrow. "Who even are you?"

Arthur shrugged his comment off. "Folks need help sometimes. He gave me one of the pictures, if you want t' see it?"

"I don't believe this story for a second. It better be a good picture."

"It is. Wolves, I think."

The body was dropped into the water, floating away after the first one. The two stood there for a moment, waiting for something to happen. Perhaps the O'Driscoll was playing dead, and would rise out from the water and shoot them all down again. They both hoped not. When nothing happened, they both sighed and made their way to dispose of the next body. The cycle repeated, Arthur and John would switch places and then chuck the dead bodies into the swamp, watching them float down the river.

There weren't too many left on this side of camp, and as they threw another body into the river John spoke up.

"Has Dutch been actin' strange to you lately?" He asked, wiping his hands against his shirt to remove the O'Driscolls filth from them. That, and the mix of mud and blood.

"No more than usual," Arthur replied. The body of the O'Driscoll sunk under the swampy water, before bouncing back up, floating away from land. "Big ideas, big plans, whole lotta death." Too much death, he thought. Death came with the job, sure, but when deaths happen so suddenly in a short space of time, it makes people wonder. And Arthur had started wondering.

John nodded as the two turned to move another body away from camp - Arthur grabbing under the shoulders this time, while John grabbed the legs. They moved quickly, tossing the body into the swamp with the others. Arthur took a moment to count the number of corpses that now called the swamp home and sighed. At least it weren't any more of us, he thought, tipping his hat slightly - though if anyone were to ask, he was just blocking out the sun. At least his people got dignified homes for their bodies, or most of them did anyway. He wondered whether or not he would have a dignified grave, or if he would be left behind on a job gone wrong, his body waiting for the ground to reclaim it - either that or chucked in an unmarked grave by the law. Or burned. Or thrown into a ditch. He thought about his death many times, too many for it to be normal.

"We got one more over here, Arthur!" John called out from near the horses, already lifting the body under its arms.

"They just keep multiplyin'. Swear these folks are like rabbits, just never ending," Arthur grumbled, walking over to where John stood.

"You say something?" He asked, as Arthur shook his head, grabbing the ankles of the body and lifting it up.

They had gotten into a rhythm now, and soon they were back to standing by the water, various bodies scattered throughout it. If they weren't eaten by gators, they were sure to spook any passersby if they got too close to camp.

Arthur wiped his hands on his jeans, making a mental note to see how much money he had and maybe take a trip down to Saint Denis, rent a room and get a bath. As a little treat. He turned around and gave John a pat on the shoulder.

"How have you been since getting Jack back?" Arthur asked, noticing John's gaze fall onto where Abigail stood watching Jack run outside to grab something he left behind during the chaos.

John blinked, and looked at Arthur. "Good, I think. I've been real shit to him… he's just a kid, he doesn't deserve all this." He looked back. Jack was holding a couple of sticks in one hand and a large leaf in the other, and he ran back to Abigail with a grin. "He talks about what happened, y'know. Bronte had him loaded up with toys and fancy Italian dishes. I don't even know if some of the words he's sayin' are real!"

"No amount of toys or fancy Italian dishes could ever stop him from wantin' to be here, though," Arthur replied, looking at how softly Abigail interacted with Jack, holding his items for him and smiling at him. Such a different world… He gave John a nudge. "Go over there."

"Did we get all the-"

"Go. I'll sort 'em out if there's any left."

John didn't need to be told twice. He gave Arthur a grin and a nod before rushing over, interested in hearing about what Jack was talking about.

It was sweet to watch the family interact, John picking up Jack while Abigail fussed over the boy, and John, too (though she would never admit it). Arthur had to force himself to look away before he got caught up in what ifs. There was no point dwelling on the past - it couldn't be changed. He had made countless promises to himself that he would never think too much about what a life with Mary would have been like, because it always ended with an empty feeling in his chest and every mistake he had made on loop in his head. This was the life he chose, and that was that. He would live and die with blood on his hands and a bounty on his head, and he would be alone for it all. With a sigh, he turned and began to make his way towards the horses, deciding that a ride would do him good. It also meant he could scout the area and make sure no O'Driscolls were still lurking about and hiding in the trees.

Sudden gunfire was almost certain to spook the horses, and those that were skittish seemed very wary of Arthur's presence near them. He gave them soft shushes, gentle pats when they were calm enough, and felt sorry for them having to deal with sudden attacks like that. At least none of them were hurt. Some would whine and walk around frantically whenever the wind would pick up, or a bird flew from a tree, but Arthur knew they would all be back to normal in a few hours. Though, something felt wrong about the area - like it was missing something so important that even the horses could tell. The way some of them avoided a certain area, or others kept looking back for someone. Kieran. Arthur had seen him plenty of times sitting by the horses, cleaning tack and making sure they were all looked after. The space he used to occupy was empty, the faintest indent on the grass was all that was left, and even then that would soon be gone. Just like that, Kieran would be wiped away from the place and he thought that many people would most likely forget he was even a part of the gang. The horses would remember. They would remember the company and extra carrots and all the care that Kieran would give them. And Arthur would remember too - he made a promise to himself to remember Kieran for who he really was: part of the Van der Linde gang.

Gideon was still hitched up, having stayed relatively calm during the attack. Funny how gunshots had never bothered him, but spotting a gator that was minding its own business would cause him to get scared and refuse to walk any further. He gave Gideon a gentle pat on the neck, before moving to reach into his bag to fish out some peppermints for him. A reward for being so brave during the attack. He was running low on treats for him and added that to the list of things he needed to get as well.

He grabbed the brush out from his bag, giving Gideon a quick brush down. The swamps and surrounding areas always seemed to get him dirty quickly, though it was nothing compared to travelling through Valentine and Strawberry. He was pretty certain there was still mud on his boots from the last time he stopped by Strawberry. The saddle was also overdue for a good polish, and he instinctively turned to where Kieran would be sat to ask if he wanted to do it. But no one was there. With a sigh, he picked up the saddle from the post, lifting it over onto Gideon's back and taking a moment to adjust it and secure it in place. Once he knew it was right, he gave the straps an extra tug just to be sure, he pulled down the stirrups. Guns? Bag? Food? Check. He had everything, though it was only going to be a quick journey out. The sun was starting to lower itself down and the rays filtered through the trees, leaving the camp with a soft glow across it. He didn't want to go too far from camp before nightfall. Strange folk lurk in the swamps, or so he was told.

"You heading back out already?" A voice asked from behind him, causing Arthur to turn quickly. Sadie stood there, a hand on her hip, gesturing with her head to his tacked up horse. "There's just no stopping you, huh?"

Arthur laughed softly at that, shaking his head. "Just wanna check there ain't no more O'Driscolls lying about near us." He pulled himself up onto the back of his horse. "I ain't gon' be gone for long."

Sadie nodded, taking a step back. "The last time you said that you were gone for about a week. Charles had to come lookin' for you."

"If you're that worried, Mrs Adler, you're more than welcome to join me." Arthur nodded over at Bob, who was across the road from them.

Sadie thought for a moment, looking back behind her to see the state of the camp. Miss Grimshaw was rounding up the girls to bring things in to clean the blood off of, and hearing the voice of Susan echo through the area, she nodded. "Sure. Beats mopping up guts and stuff."

She was quick to tack up her horse as Arthur gently moved Gideon to walk out onto the path, waiting for her. Sadie lifted herself up onto Bob, and with a pat on his neck, joined Arthur and Gideon on the path.

The road down from Shady Belle was heavily guarded with trees, which made looking out for people all the more difficult. Arthur would stop Gideon a few times, trying to work out if he saw a person or a bush that looked suspiciously like a person. It was always the latter. Sadie scouted out ahead, and the two would meet in the middle when they were done.

He ushered Gideon into a slow walk, one hand on the reins and the other hovering over his holstered gun, just in case. A sudden rustling of leaves spooked Gideon, who took a few steps away from the right side of the path. Arthur gave him a gentle pat before dismounting, taking his gun out for good measure. The rustling continued as he made his way towards the bush, slowly pushing leaves aside to try and sneak up on whatever was making all that noise. When he broke through the bush he pointed his gun out, expecting to see somebody. A black squirrel scurried off from the place he was standing in, causing the plants it ran through to make the same noise that spooked Gideon.

"Find anyone?" Sadie's voice called out as she approached, gun in one hand as well.

"Nothin' but a damn squirrel," Arthur replied, holstering his gun and walking back out to the path in a huff. All that noise for a squirrel.

"Guess it's a good thing?" Sadie brought Bob to a halt. "Scared 'em off for good this time."

"I still feel on edge, like a whole cart full of 'em could come rolling down any minute now." Arthur looked up the path past Sadie and Bob, but nothing happened. No wagon full of O'Driscolls, no army of Pinkertons, nothing. Just a soft breeze and a bird flying by.

"Wanna look up the main road a bit more?" Sadie asked, patting Bob on the neck.

"Sure." Arthur rolled his shoulders back uncomfortably as he walked towards Gideon, pulling himself up and giving him a gentle squeeze to walk on. He still kept an eye open as they walked down the path, Sadie following close behind.

When nothing of note happened (a few squirrels ran out in the road, and a flock of birds flew off when the two passed the tree they were in), and the duo made it out to the main road leading elsewhere, Arthur was half expecting a surprise encounter with someone. But nothing happened. No gunfire, no lawmen, just a guy passing by who tipped his hat at the two and wished them a good evening. He let out a breath, relaxing a little.

"You alright there?" Sadie asked, pulling up beside Arthur. "You weren't itchin' for another fight, were 'ya?"

"Honestly? Yeah, I was," Arthur replied, scratching at his chin. "Thought there'd be more waiting for us if we left suddenly."

"If any were waitin' around, hopefully seeing none of their brothers come back spooked 'em off," she said with a shrug, though Arthur could tell she was on edge still as well. The way Sadie sat in her saddle made it seem like she was on guard, her hand only a moment away from reaching for the gun and shooting at anyone who looked at her funny. He decided then that he would never get on her bad side. At least not on purpose.

They continued on down the road for a little while, just to be on the safe side. Arthur mentioned something about there being camps set up and wanted to investigate, but no O'Driscoll's were found. He did walk in on a hunter who had just set up for the night and spooked him, which Sadie found amusing. But other than that, no one. It looked like they were in the clear.

They reached a grassy overlook, far enough to be away from camp but still close enough that it would only take a few minutes to ride back. The horses were still a little on edge, so the open space would do them good, the two thought. Arthur and Sadie dismounted, and the horses looked around cautiously, though it didn't seem like they were going to bolt. He gave Gideon another pat to relax him, and rummaged around his satchel for a wild carrot for him.

"That satchel of yours seems endless. Does it even have a bottom?" Sadie asked with a smile, noticing how Arthur had to pull out a couple of things before getting to the carrot.

"It's all about the organisation. Everythin' has its place," he replied, putting the small pouch of ginseng and a pack of cigarettes back in their rightful place.

"You gotta teach me someday. My stuff is always getting lost because I can't recall where I placed it." She tilted her hat back, making her way over to find a place to sit and rest for a moment.

"When you're living out of one or two bags your whole life, you get used to makin' the most out of storage," he added. With a final pat on Gideon, he walked over to Sadie, taking a seat on the ground next to her.

"How long have you been riding with these folk?" She asked, looking past him for a moment to check on the horses. Gideon and Bob were grazing happily.

Arthur scratched his chin as he thought back, trying to pinpoint specifics off the top of his head. "All my life. Dutch 'nd Hosea took me in when I was about fourteen? I had nothin' but the clothes on my back and a bit of bread I stole from someone," he said, mindlessly picking up some of the dry grass and fiddling with it as he spoke. "'Course, when you're a kid, anything sounds better than sleeping on the streets. They helped me, turned my life around… well, gave me a different outlook on life instead of just being angry all the goddamn time." He threw the grass in front of him, giving her a look. "Then, y'know, time went on and we grew and got more people, eventually got you, and here we are."

"Living the big life, huh?"

"Beats bein' dead."

A comfortable silence fell over the two, as Arthur would pick up small rocks that were in front of him to keep his mind occupied, while Sadie just sat, looking out ahead of her. It was funny to see how times had changed, and how big the gang had grown since he joined Dutch and Hosea all those years ago. He looked back on those early years with a soft fondness towards the memories, holding them close to his heart - protecting them.

He gave a quick look at Sadie, who seemed deep in thought. How quickly life can change, he thought. How quickly the tide could turn. How quickly everything could rot away. It was like building a house, though he had never built an actual house before, a good foundation was needed to support the weight of the walls. Without it, the house would collapse under its own weight. He wondered who was the foundation of this group, who kept it from crashing down… who keeps them from their own downfall. Arthur thought it would be Hosea, who balances out Dutch’s impulsiveness with his own more organised impulsiveness. Dutch and Hosea were two sides of the same coin, and no one could convince him otherwise. Without Dutch, there was no Hosea, and without Hosea, there was no Dutch. Perhaps both of them were the gang's foundation?

He felt a gentle nudge come from beside him, as Sadie was the one to break the silence. "What're you always writing about in that journal-"

"No." Arthur cut her off, knowing where this conversation would eventually end up. He had had the same talk with everyone: Mary-Beth asking if he was writing anything interesting, John standing directly behind him as he sketched something out, even Molly had made comments about his nose being in that journal of his.

Sadie raised her hands up defensively. "Alright. I was just askin' out of curiosity."

He pulled his satchel to his front, rummaging around for something. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sadie lean over, expectantly. He frowned. “I ain’t gettin’ it out.”

“I didn't say anything! I was just… admirin’ the organisation skills in your bag,” Sadie said, causing Arthur to turn away to look through his bag. He took out a pack of cigarettes, gesturing the box to Sadie to see if she wanted one. She took one out, giving a nod of thanks to Arthur as he did the same, placing the cigarette between his lips. The small box of matches were kept right beside the various cigarette boxes and small tin of chewing tobacco, so it was easy to find in his bag. He took out a match, striking it against the heel of his boot and held the match out for her.

“Next time we move, I’ll have to’ teach you how to make the most of small spaces for your stuff,” he said, as Sadie lit her cigarette and took a drag.

“I’ll hold you to that, Mister Morgan,” Sadie laughed, as Arthur lit his cigarette up, waving the match to get rid of the flame. “D’you think we’re going to be moving again soon? After the O’Driscolls attacked us like that, it would make sense to pack up and go…”

“Dutch seems to think we should. No clue where to, though. We can only go so far east ‘fore we end up in the goddamn ocean.” Arthur shook his head, partly in disbelief that they had to potentially move again, and partly because he didn't quite understand how they kept getting found by someone. First it was because the Blackwater job went to shit real fast, then they were chased out from Horseshoe Overlook and Clemen’s Point by the Pinkertons, and now the O’Driscolls? Was running really worth it at this point?

“I don’t want to leave until every one of those bastards is dead.” Sadie flicked her cigarette, staring at the space on the ground where the ash fell. “Even if I have to do it myself, they aren’t getting away with what they did to me and my husband.”

He understood revenge. He understood the feeling of it consuming every thought, and he understood that Sadie meant what she said. He had seen it in himself when he was younger.

“Well, if you ever need someone to go shootin’ O’Driscolls with, let me know.” He gave her a nod.

"They're a real nasty bunch." Sadie tipped her hat forward, blocking out the now setting sun. "I will make sure they all get what they deserve.”

Another silence fell over them, as the last of their cigarettes were used up, the butts tossed aside. The sun was close to disappearing below the horizon, lighting the sky up in hues of pink and orange.A soft breeze blew past them and Arthur readjusted his hat on his head to keep it from accidentally getting knocked off if the wind picked up again.

“You’ve been real quiet about what happened with the O’Driscolls, back in Horseshoe Overlook,” Sadie spoke, leaning back on her hands.

“Oh, I was…” Arthur paused, thinking about whether or not he should tell her everything. “I was hangin’ around.”

She blinked. “Hanging around? With the O’Driscolls?”

He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “Nah, I’m just messin’ with you. I was hanging around, but not with them.”

“Oh. Right.” She then frowned. “Hanging, like…” A hand went across her neck, mimicking a noose.

“Upside down.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.”

Talking about his feelings and experiences was still something he held back from doing - though times when the offer was there for him to do so, he happily cracked open the bottles of emotions, allowing others to take a sip and closing it back before they could take too much. Words were hard to speak sometimes, which was why he found his journal to be more and more useful as days passed by. Crossed out words, pauses in the writing, taking breaks when he needed - he couldn’t seem to allow himself to do that out loud. No, his thoughts were reserved for him and him alone. There was no need to drag anyone under the murky water of his life, he was fine to drown alone.

He felt a nudge against his leg, and blinked out from his thoughts. Sadie stood, having tapped his leg with her foot. Bob’s reins were in her hands, and she nodded with her head to the direction of camp.

“Bob’s getting antsy, missing the others I reckon. Want to head back with me?” She asked.

Arthur shook his head. “Nah, I think I might sit here for a little while.”

“I’m comin’ out to find you if you ain’t returned by dark,” she teased, which got a smile from him.

“I promise I’ll be back by dark, Mrs Adler.”

“I’m holding you to that, Mister Morgan.”

Sadie led Bob out the field they sat in, and Arthur watched her mount him, clicking her knees into his side gently to get him to trot off. With a wave, she moved down the road back towards camp, leaving Arthur and Gideon alone in the field, the sun now dipped below the horizon. He looked up into the sky, watching the stars fade into existence. How wonderful the view must be from up there, he thought, eyes scanning the sky for the brightest, and then searching for any constellations he could remember. Spending time camping under the open sky meant he often found himself looking up there, wondering what else could be up in the sky. He vaguely remembered seeing pages of a book discussing the night sky when he was younger, but could not recall what was being said. Maybe he would need to invest in books about the night. He was overdue for some new reading material.

Arthur sat still for a little while, whilst Gideon continued to graze off to his left. Now that Sadie was definitely gone, he took out his journal, opening it up to a fresh page. There were many sketches of Gideon scattered throughout the book, and he thought that one more wouldn't hurt. He began making marks on the page, loosely sketching the basic shape of the horse before going in with more details. It was nice to get lost in a drawing, no matter the subject of it. Sometimes he could sit for hours and just draw, letting time tick away in front of him. Sometimes he did. The sound of the charcoal scratching against the paper was therapeutic, as he used his thumb to smudge out some of the lines to give the impression of Gideon’s mane and tail.

With the ever fading light now being replaced by the moonlight behind him, he told himself it was time to think about going back to camp. Last thing he needed was to be approached by someone with malicious intent - he really didn't want to go back covered in blood. Too much blood had been shed today, he was getting tired of it at this point. He lost count of the amount of times he was stopped by Lemoyne Raiders looking for a quick and easy fight. They seemed to always jump out of nowhere. Though, many didn't jump after Arthur was done with them.

He heard Gideon walk over, nudging his bag in search of food or treats or something to do, and Arthur took that as a sign that he should get going. He gave Gideon a gentle pat, as his horse nudged his shoulder now.

“Easy, boy. You want to head back too, huh?” He asked softly, as Gideon huffed in response, turning his head to look back out towards the road. “Alright. We’ll head back now.”

Packing away his journal and standing up, Arthur took out a stick of celery and fed it to Gideon, who greatly appreciated the food. Another pat on his side, and Arthur hoisted himself up onto his back, rolling his shoulders to stretch them a bit. His posture while drawing was awful - Hosea once compared him to a shrimp when he was younger, hunched over paper while scribbling away. It stuck with him ever since, and yet he always found himself doing the same thing whenever he got really into a drawing. He clicked for Gideon to walk on, and took a slow walk back to camp.

Camp was quiet, the air still heavy from the attack hours prior. As Arthur dismounted from Gideon and looped the reins over the hitching post, he noticed a few people sitting around the main fire, and the smell of the evening's stew filled the air. There were times when he was off doing his own thing where he would miss Pearson's cooking, which was saying a lot.

He made his way over to where the food was, giving a nod to those who had gathered around one of the fires, talking in hushed voices. Scooping what little remained in the pot into a bowl, Arthur sat down at a table a little away from the group, the heat of the fire being a little too much mixed in with the thick, swampy air. It was one thing he disliked about Shady Belle, everything felt heavy and murky, and sometimes it was hard to breathe properly. At least he was blaming that on the air. Breathing had been a little difficult recently, but he tried not to worry too much about it. He never gave himself enough time to catch his breath after running around, so that was probably it. Just needed more rest… He looked down at the stew, gently scooping some of the meat and vegetables up before dropping them back down. Bread. He needed bread with this. Rummaging around for the 'food and other goods' section of his satchel, he pulled out a small bread roll he had bought from… somewhere. It was a little stale, but still edible, he hoped. There were worse ways to go than eating mouldy bread.

He ate in silence, just listening to the sounds of the camp as the sky darkened some more, the night in full swing now. Tensions were still high, but he felt them ease a bit when the gentle sound of Javier's guitar filled the air, a soft melody that felt familiar yet Arthur did not recognise the song.

A hand on his shoulder pulled him away from his thoughts as Dutch sat down on the seat next to him, a cigar in one hand and a devilish smile on his face. Arthur raised an eyebrow, ready for whatever profound words were about to leave Dutch's mouth.

"Tomorrow, we get rich!" Dutch grinned, leaning back in the chair.

"From the trolley station?" Arthur still wasn't sure that a trolley station of all places would hold a lot of cash, but Dutch was committed now, and there would be no talking him down from this idea.

"Broaden your mind, Arthur! Think of all the people who pass through the station daily! Think of all the money they have," Dutch said, waving his hands around as he spoke. Arthur scraped up the remains of his stew, shaking his head.

"And you trust that Angelo Bronte is tellin' the truth about this?" He asked through a mouthful of food.

"Arthur, I am disliking this sudden pessimistic outlook. We need one more big score, and Bronte knows things about the city that we don't. We can't afford to not trust him, can we?" Dutch suddenly leaned in closer, a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "This is the one. I can feel it."

Arthur let out a laugh. "You've been sayin' that about the last few jobs. And look at us! Still chasing down money."

"What've you been eating to make you not have any trust in me, hm?"

"Maybe Pearson put something in the stew."

Dutch didn't find the comment as funny as Arthur did.

He frowned, shaking his head. "Faith, Arthur. Just a little bit of faith, and you'll be eating your words when we're in a tropical paradise eating nothing but mangoes and living the dream!"

"Sure, I'll believe it when I see it, Dutch." Arthur ripped the bread into two smaller pieces, using it to get the last of the stew from the bowl. He saw Dutch lean back out from the corner of his eye, watching as he assessed the area in front of them. Those by the main campfire were laughing and talking, others were getting ready to retire for the night. The mood was seeming to improve, but Arthur was sure that alcohol had something to do with it.

"Micah's not coming with us tomorrow, is he?" He asked, lowering his voice as he spoke. The last thing he needed today was an incident with Micah.

Dutch shook his head, pointing with his cigar over towards where Lenny sat. "Got Lenny involved, thanks to your recommendation."

That made Arthur feel somewhat hopeful for tomorrow's job. Lenny was good and very under utilised in the gang, he had thought, so it would be nice to get the kid out and about some more. Maybe he can slowly convince Dutch that Micah is never the best first choice for these things. He’d take Lenny over Micah any day. Hell, Cain the dog would be more useful than Micah on some missions.

“And you’re sure that this trolley station is goin’ to have enough cash for us to finally get out of here?” Arthur had never been on a trolley in Saint Denis, he had never needed to - a slow and careful walk on horseback was enough for him. “You don’t think somewhere else might be better?”

“I’m certain. Think of how many people use the trolleys, and how often they run, too.” Dutch smiled, taking a moment to pat himself on the back for this brilliant idea - though, it wasn’t entirely made up by him.

“Why not somewhere like the mayor’s house? Full of expensive items, could go for a pretty penny if we sell them to the right fella,” Arthur suggested, knowing how easy it would be to steal from the mayor’s place. Security seemed lacklustre every time he visited, and it could easily be achievable the next time he was called there.

“The mayor’s house?” Dutch raised an eyebrow, arm leaning on the back of his chair as he gestured for Arthur to say more.

He put his spoon down in his now empty bowl, and gave a slight shrug to Dutch. “Seems like an easy enough place to steal from. Each time I’ve gone back there there’s been-”

“Back there?” Dutch spoke slowly, eyes narrowing ever so slightly at Arthur.

“Yeah…? The mayor’s got me helpin’ him out with a few things. Normal stuff, beatin’ people, threatening ‘em.”

“I didn't take you for the kind who would be in the mayor’s pocket,” Dutch said. Neither did Arthur, yet here he was.

“Just business. Nothin’ personal. You know how it is.” Arthur stood, stretching his arms out in front of him. “Could be something there, could be nothing.”

“Same thing applies to a trolley station, Arthur.” Dutch gave him a look. “There’s money there. I can feel it.”

Arthur knew it was a useless task trying to get Dutch to think about this in a more reasonable sense. Or maybe he was the unreasonable one? Perhaps trolley stations were loaded with cash, and he was underestimating it all. He gave him a nod, signalling that he was going to leave, maybe turn in for the night. He was tired and all that fighting had caused his bones to ache and his heart to feel heavy. He just needed a moment alone.

The walk up to the door of Shady Belle was quick, passing by others and simply nodding at them. He would do the rounds in the morning, check up on everyone to make sure they were okay. He passed by Sadie, who was leaving the house as he was going inside. She gave him a smile, and he smiled back.

Arthur climbed up the stairs, taking a moment once he reached the top to catch his breath. He often found the stairs to leave him a little breathless, but put it down to him not being used to needing to climb up somewhere to get to his room. Never in his late night thoughts did he think about living in a proper house, especially with the gang. He dreamed of open skies, sleeping under the stars, a fire crackling away in the background. The walls were a welcomed sight.

He could hear the sound of John and Abigail talking in the room opposite his, and he was quick to walk towards his room, not wanting to overhear anything. The large gap in their wall was something that, if they were wanting to stay here for a long time, would need to be patched up. Arthur wasn’t sure if the plans to stay here were long, and felt like after the attack today, Dutch was itching to find somewhere else. A shame, really. He was just starting to get used to where everything was here.

The door to his room closed behind him with a creak as he walked in, the moon providing the only source of light in his room. Shady Belle was definitely up there on the list of places they’ve had to stay at. The walls, the actual bed, the security of it all - it was nice. The sound of Javier’s guitar continued, though quieter from up here. His window had been shattered from the gunfight, which wasn’t a bad thing. The nights could get warm and stuffy, the only drawback to being surrounded by the swamps.

He set his satchel aside, and sat down on his bed with a long sigh, exhaling until the weight left his shoulders. It never did.

He took off his hat, running a hand through his hair. It was getting longer, and he would most likely need to cut it sooner rather than later. That was a job for another day. For now, he needed sleep. He got himself ready for bed, making sure everything was in its place, and nothing was too far out of reach. As he closed his eyes, he let his mind drift off to someplace else, somewhere quiet to sit and take a moment. A forest. A stag. A sunset.

That’s all he needed.

#red dead redemption #arthur morgan #rdr2 #red dead redemption fanfic #rdr2 fanfic #arthur morgan fanfiction #rdr2 community #john marston #sadie adler #dutch van der linde #rdr2 fanfiction #; tealeaf's writing

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thepokeone · 2 years

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Possible Spoilers For Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhou!

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I have got to talk about this book.

Wu Zetian is amazing. Have you ever seen that Tumblr post where it's like "she saw the boy that'd change her life. The first boy she'd ever kill."? That's Wu Zetian. Straight up. She straight up kills a man and is all like "welcome to your nightmare" on live tv.

Gao Yizhi is a love interest introduced at the start of the book. He and Wu Zetian have known each other for years and meet often in the forest. He loves Wu Zetian so much he chases her into the army (which uses Darling in the Franxx type mechas to fight 'aliens') He does try to buy her from her family before that, but his heart was in the right place. He just didn't want her to die. She basically tells him to fuck off and then kinda regrets it. Gao Yizhi saves her from a would be attacker, which leads to him meeting the next character.

Li Shimin is Love interest # 2. We meet him a chapter or three after Wu Zetian kills the guy. He's like the lowest of the low to the government cause he killed his father and brothers (they had it coming really) and so he has prisoner tattooed on his face and his hair is cut off to show that he killed them. While he's basically hated, he's also the strongest pilot they have. Wu Zetian is pared with him in hopes he'll over power her in the mecha and she'll die. She doesn't. And while they hate each other at first they start to love each other later.

The relationship. Now I know what you're thinking. "Another love triangle? We have to deal with idiotic pining that stops Wu Zetian from kicking ass?" Haha, oh boy would you be wrong. Li Shimin and Gao Yizhi are bigger messes than she is. It doesn't help they've fallen in love with each other too. Yep you heard that right. The triangle is the strongest shape baby! This is the best solution to a love triangle since Walt and Anubis became the same person to both date Sadie!

In short, please read this book, and join the fandom, because there are like 13 fics on Ao3 and I need more people to know about it.

Also check on the author! I believe they're on Tumblr under the above name, and I know they're on YouTube because I've been watching their videos for awhile now. If you watch a video I'd suggest the ones on Empress Wu Zetian (yes she was real and the only female empress China ever had)

#book rec #book recommendations #iron widow #thepokeone speaks!#spoilers #iron widow spoilers #please read this book #ya books #books #wu zetian #book reactions #book review #of sorts #gao yizhi #li shimin

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curiousconch · 3 years

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Chase You/Chase Me (Pt. 7)

Part 7: Round and around we go

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: The attack in McGraw Byrne's offices reveals a deeper conspiracy that runs to the top of the law firm, which Alex pursued head on. But when the dust settles, she is forced to face the music of her own troubled mind.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 2.1k+

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / themes of violence, and trauma, language. Reader discretion advised.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

A week after, New York City

Shit. Shit. Shit.

The gunman panted as he ran through the dark and unfamiliar side streets of New York, the covering on his face not helping alleviate the sense of panic overtaking him.

His current state of mind paled in comparison with how calm he walked into the offices of that freakishly bright law firm.

The task was simple - get the phone and get out.

But when he found himself face to face with the woman who'd sent his life into a whirling clusterfuck, he didn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

He missed.

A brute of a man rammed into him right before he took a shot. Who knew corporate slaves can be combative? By then he knew he was fucked. He snatched the phone then ran.

An earlier scope of the building gave him an easy way out, but the shitty maze of the streets of the business district didn't give much of a reprieve.

I fucking hate this city.

He didn't know how long he'd been running, not until he had to stop by the dead end wall in front of him.

Blue and red flashing lights caught him in a daze, his breath heavy, realizing he was boxed in by police officers in an alley.

"Freeze!" one had shouted. "Raise your arms over your head!"

He didn't have a choice. He's not willing to die for his uncle, nor take another sentence in prison. That scumbag wasn't worth it, regardless of how many times that man tried drilling the thought into his head.

I'm tired of this shit anyway. Though I'll miss the perks.

He raised his hands, then felt his knees buckle when someone kicked him from behind, forcing him to the ground. Someone pulled the ski mask off his head, his face now exposed for everyone to see.

He was the younger, spitting image of Koenig's CEO. Except for those piercing blue eyes.

Now everyone will know, he thought. Poor uncle Peter will be burned to the stakes after he spill every single sordid detail of all the crimes Max was ordered to do.

From that pretty little celebrity in L.A., the poisoned man from Oklahoma, the researchers from Massachusetts, and all of those other victims in between.

Good thing he kept all those souvenirs. He will prove to them that he was just a pawn.

The pawn that was Maximilian Koenig Cornell.

A few days after, Rooftop of McGraw Byrne

Alex took another hit of nicotine from the cigarette between her fingers, standing by the edge of the fancy rooftop lounge. She exhaled a plume of smoke, the friction in her throat giving herself a temporary reprieve from her chaotic state of mind.

By the rest of the world's standards, it should have been a beautiful day. The skies above her was indigo, filled with streaks of orange from the setting sun. The peacefulness of it a far cry from the storm that was brewing inside her.

Success shouldn't feel this way. She was having a hard time basking in her recent victories.

Alex was just named junior partner this morning, after successfully taking Peter Koenig and Sadie McGraw down. Max Cornell, who turned out to be Koenig's nephew slash hitman, had confessed. He revealed who really was pulling the ropes, all in the form of well-kept call logs and text messages.

The backlash of it all reached McGraw Byrne's founding partner. The same form of proof exposed Sadie's hand on the Koenig class action suit, as well as her involvement in tipping off authorities to paint Marcus Sharpe as Aliana's murderer. The intent was to veer suspicion away from Koenig, making thousands of dollars along the way.

Alex had completely unraveled the conspiracy, with the help of Aislinn and Gigi. Beau, surprisingly, was more than participative. But it was obvious for everyone at the firm who led the crackdown, and it didn't take long for recognition to come to pass.

In everyone else's eyes, she emerged the winner.

And now, when all is said and done, there was nothing to escape to.

Alex can no longer disassociate herself from the sight of the gun barrel held by the ghost she tried to forget all these years.

The sound of applause, soured only by Martin Vanderweil's display of pain-in-the-ass arrogance, should have made her want to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Instead, here she was, wallowing with herself to be overcame by old bad habits.

What happened in the library was etched in her mind, clear as day. The memory of that close encounter with death, being brought up to life by the lack of distractions, made her shudder.

Every waking hour was consumed by the man with the haunting blue eyes that meant death. Those same eyes from the past that suffocated her for so long.

A decade spent running away from them, yet they still caught up with her.

She worked so hard not to remember, not to let it bring her down, for it not to be her end game. She's at the top of the fucking career ladder, yet why can't she still have a sense of freedom?

Everything just felt wrong. She felt out of place.

Lost in her frustrations, she didn't hear the whirring of the elevator and the approaching footsteps that followed.

"Thought I'd find you here," Gabe said, stopping inches away from her.

It took everything of her not to swivel and look at him, opting to curse at herself for how her body quickly relaxed by the softness of his voice.

The storm clouding her mind instantly dissipated, leaving her bare. Gabe's presence made the oceans within her stand still, as if awaiting to be stirred.

"Didn't want to be found," she mumbled, closing her lips on the still burning stick of nicotine. Alex struggled to keep her gaze steady at the slowly darkening skyline.

I know. Gabe wanted to say. He knew that finding her here, seeking out the comfort of isolation screamed her desire to be left alone. He had seen her internal turmoil, hiding behind the air of stoicism she projected for everyone else.

That's why he was never more determined to find her. He wanted, no, needed, to be there for her.

Gabe knew he'd been a dick to walk out from her that morning in L.A., right after he admitted what he felt for her.

But there was rarely an opportunity to make it right. Whenever there was, there was no getting through her. No matter how much he tried to reach out, to make her see that he regretted his actions that day, she wouldn't let him in.

He couldn't blame her.

Gabe told himself he'd give her time, to give her space. However, fate had other plans.

He almost lost her that night, and it was a wake up call. When he watched helplessly as Cornell aimed at her, something in him shifted. He's no longer stuck in a limbo questioning who Alex was for him, or why he constantly wanted to be near her, wanting to make everything right.

He was decided to run after her, to stay with her, no matter what. He was done chasing after dreams of the past.

Alex was his future.

"Can't get rid of me easily," he settled on that reply, leaning on the glass railing beside her.

"Really?" she quipped sardonically. "I honestly didn't take you to be the staying type."

That had to sting.

He knew he'd hurt her by leaving, so he deserved that. It wasn't enough to make his resolve waver.

"I am," he insisted. "It just takes me some time to find my footing."

She lifted a hand to him. "Don't go there, Gabe. Just don't - "

"I'm not walking away from you again, Alex," he professed.

She whirled to face him with a look of sullen resignation. "I know."

Deep down, she wanted him too. But not in the fucked-up state she was in. She needed to think, she needed to recover, she needed to get a grip on herself.

But she needed to do it alone.

"I can't deal with us now, it's just.." She sighed. "Everything else that's happened is too overwhelming."

Gabe deflated.

It was the first time he heard her admit defeat. He's gotten used to seeing her fighting every step of the way, that finding her in this state of hopelessness felt alien to him. His chest tightened, hating himself on taking part of what pushed her to breaking point.

"I need to take a step back from everything, Gabe," she said, almost begging. "That includes you."

"What do you mean?"

"Can I to take some time off?" she pleaded, wrapping herself in her own arms. "I have to hit pause for now."

"For how long, Alex?" Gabe's voice was strained. She just made it clear that he wasn't what she needed.

Still he hoped. So he held his breath.

Alex thought quietly for a few moments, before looking back at him in determination. He found a semblance of the Alex he knew.

"A couple of weeks," she answered with a tone of finality.

He didn't want to. But in his heart of hearts, he had to respect her decision. He understood that even the strongest needed to heal. Even the brave Alex Keating.

"I'll arrange it," he relented, closing his fists at his sides to stop himself from reaching out to her. "Anything else?"

She hesitated, biting her lower lip before she continued. "Actually, there is one more thing."

"What is it?" Gabe watched intently as she raised her head to look at him, her mouth curved into that familiar signature smirk that he'd grown to chase after.

"Will you wait for me?"

As per her usual modus operandi, Alex took his breath away by her unpredictability. Almost immediately, Gabe wrapped his arm around her to pull her close. He raised his free hand and let his knuckles brush against her cheek.

He smiled softly, a tad afraid that by holding her this close could break her. And yet, the effect she had on him couldn't be stopped from spilling out, as if it was what he wanted to say all along.

"I've waited my whole life for you, so what's a few more weeks?"

Alex beamed at him, relieved. "I knew you'll be up for the challenge."

"Because I care about you, Alex," he whispered.

"I care about you too."

Alex then dared to take it forward.

Before he had the chance to move away, she tiptoed and surprised him with a tender kiss on the cheek.

Gabe wasn't able to react as quickly, the contact catapulting his senses. Just as his mind plunged back to the ground, she was already walking away, the clicking of her black heels syncopating along with the beating drum inside his chest.

His sight followed her until she stood by herself in the employee elevator, her brown-eyed gaze melting him with earnest affection. As the doors shut closed, so did the heart of Gabriel Ricci.

It shut down in anticipation of her return.

Two months later

Mind hazy and craving for Chinese food, Gabe had asked the driver to take a quick detour.

He had just flown from Los Angeles, spending two weeks to assist on a big hotel chain M&A. He got out of LaGuardia at around 10pm, and now his jet lag and empty stomach were taking its toll on him.

The car stopped at the familiar block, and he got out of the vehicle, grabbing his suitcase. He walked the rest of the way, enjoying the craziness of New York City on a Friday night.

For a minute, it reminded him of her.

He heard rumors of her coming back, but HR had been heftily secretive on all things concerning her. With the firm fidgety over Vanderweil's recent harassment lawsuits, he erred on the safe side and didn't poke further.

It didn't take long for him to find Hoi On. Once inside, he greeted the servers in flawless Cantonese, striding straight to the counter.

As he gave his order, the kitchen crew brought out a bag of hunger-inducing takeout box. He was almost tempted to bargain for it instead of waiting for another 20 minutes. Until...

"Order complete for Alex!"

Gabe froze.

His senses were instantly filled by the familiar scent of coffee and vanilla and the echoing beat of heels hitting the floor.

There was no doubt about who was approaching the counter.

He found her standing beside him, the woman he'd missed every single day since he saw her last. The powerhouse junior partner with the easy smile and confident aura.

The woman whose return Gabe eagerly waited for.

"So," Alex began. "I take it tinsel town's fusion of cuisines can't match authentic Brooklyn takeout?" she teased, smiling at him in the same red dress she wore the first time she walked into his office.

He looked down over her - closely looking at the tiny changes in her features. Regardless, she looked more beautiful, taking note of the longer, loose tendrils of brunette hair framing her face.

"No," Gabe shook his head in amazement, his lips breaking into a lopsided grin. "Everything else couldn't compare."

She chuckled. The radiance of her laughter showed Gabe she was really back, and that she was finally ready.

"I bet they couldn't," she winked.

In an instant, Gabe's heart awoke from its slumber. It's as if it knew that this time, the wait was over.

The chase has come full circle.

Author's Notes: This may be the end of this series, but Alex & Gabe will return.

How did you find it? Let me see in your comments/reblogs! Thank you! 💖

Tag list: @adiehardfan @pixelnutrookie @starryjieun @latinagiraffe @sarcastic01lily @spookycolorpeanut @ophrookie @suitfer @thegreentwin @mkatschoicesblog @made-of-roses @lillijill @kachrisberry @weaving-in-words @peonierose @wanderingamongthewildflowers

@choicesficwriterscreations @lawsofattractionfanfiction

#laws of attraction #choices laws of attraction #choices loa #laws of attraction fanfiction #choices laws of attraction fanfiction #choices loa fanfiction #gabe ricci #gabe ricci x mc #fics of the week

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outlawsworld · 3 years

Text

Trusting Strangers - Chapter 12

Arthur Morgan x Female reader

Summary: Reader and Arthur's relationship in now not so secret. She spends one on one time with Dutch and also some alone time with Arthur.

Warning: robbing, mentions of smut but nothing too bad!

Notes: sorry it's taken me so long with this chapter. I've taken a bit of time off over Christmas. Please let me know what you think....can't wait to write the next chapter after this ending 🤤

You can also read my work on my ao3 account Outlaws_world !!

Chapter 1

You had been tossing and turning all night. Each time you were drifting off back to sleep your memories reminded you of the events of last night. As it started to get lighter outside you decided to go check on Dallas. Sleep wasn't coming easy and you decided to make yourself useful instead of just laying in your tent. The cut around Dallas' limb had started to scab over and there was no sign of infection. You reapplied some of the herbs that Charles had given you and fed the horses. It must have been early as everyone was still fast asleep in camp and the morning birds had only just started chirping in the trees. You made yourself a coffee and stood at the end of the dock looking out over the lake. The sun was rising over the hills which filled the sky with a burnt orange. You took in a deep breath which filled your lungs with the freshness of the air before taking a sip from your coffee. There were a couple of birds floating on the water and you watched as they sat there, still and silent. You were so lost in focusing on the stillness of the morning that you didn't hear the footsteps behind you.

''Mornin' Miss (Y/L/N)'' you spun round quickly to see Dutch had walked up behind you. He was smoking on a cigar and smiling at you.

''Mornin' Dutch'' you spoke hesitantly after you caught your breath.

''Sorry dear, I didn't mean to frighten you'' he smirked. Even though it was first thing in the morning, Dutch didn't have a hair out of place and he dressed so smartly. You must have looked scruffy in comparison as you had the same clothes on from yesterday and hadn't combed your hair yet. He came to stand next to you as you both looked over the water. ''You alright after last night?'' he questioned, not taking his eyes away from the view.

''Yeah'' you paused. ''I didn't mean for it to escalate the way it did'' you tried to defend yourself. Dutch sighed as he looked at you.

''It ain't your fault Miss (Y/L/N)'' his voice was hushed as the camp was starting to stir behind you. ''Arthur has taken quite a shine to you. I realise you two seem to be gettin' on rather well'' he scanned your face waiting for your reaction. You continued to look out over the lake hoping that he would avert his gaze. ''I hope this ain't gonna be a problem''. You look at him slightly taken aback by what he had just said.

''I don't know what you mean?'' you question, looking directly into his gaze now.

''You have settled in well here (Y/N). You have also pulled your weight and done well on jobs'' he paused taking a drag from his cigar and blowing it out over the lake. ''I want to see this for myself. What are you doing today?’’ he questioned ignoring your confusion.

‘’I was going to see about those horses with John this mornin’.’’ You scanned the camp trying to find him.

‘’That can wait’’ he protested. ‘’ Ride with me to Rhodes. I’ll let you get on with your morning chores and then come find me’’ he eyed you up and down before adding ‘’ I’ll inform John of the change of plan, the horses can wait for tomorrow’’.

''Of course Dutch'' you said shyly. He patted you on the shoulder before walking back into camp and leaving you standing on the dock by yourself.

You thought about Dutch's words as you sipped on the rest of your coffee. Gaining Dutch's trust was a hard task when you first joined the gang and the last thing you wanted was to jeopardise that. You hoped that your time spent with him would allow you to finally prove your full worth to him. ‘I hope this ain’t gonna be a problem’, what did he mean by that? There was a slight nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach as you thought he might not approve of your relationship with Arthur. Was that what this trip to Rhodes was going to be about?

You tried to ignore the feeling as you made your way back into camp. Most people had started to stir and were getting on with their chores. Although you knew Dutch would let John know about the change of plan, you wanted to tell John yourself and to clear the air from last night. When you couldn’t find him anywhere around camp you made your way over to the dirty dishes and began cleaning. You had only just gotten settled into your work when Tilly and Karen both decided to settle down next to you. As you glanced up, you saw the huge grins plastered across their faces and automatically rolled your eyes.

''Awwh come on now, don't be like that'' Karen giggled. You looked into the wash bucked and concentrated on the dish in your hand. Trying to block out the eager girls stares.

''You can't hide from us in a pile of dirty dishes, ya know'' Tilly smirked at you. You looked up and sighed. She was right, no matter what you did, you couldn't avoid them forever. ''You gonna tell us then?''.

''Tell you what?'' you smirked.

''Don't play dumb. Tell us about what happened last night'' Karen scoffed. She sat next to you with a ripped shirt in hand as she tried to sew the seam back together.

''With Micah?'' you questioned.

''No you idiot. With Arthur'' Karen tutted. ''He was clearly protective over ya, never seen him so riled up. Micah must have struck a nerve talkin' bout you like that'' she giggled as she spoke. You knew that being cooped up in the camp all day can be boring, so the girls lived for any gossip or drama. You shook your head and sighed looking over to see Arthur was sat on his cot writing something in his journal. He looked so fixated on what he was jotting down, you couldn’t help but wish he was by your side right now to answer the questions that were being thrown at you.

''Would you just leave the poor girl alone'' Sadie interrupted, she was standing over the three of you with her hands on her hips.

''We were only asking'' Tilly spoke shyly.

''Yeah, well I'm tellin'. Can't you see she has enough to do without you two at her'' she gestured for the two girls to move which they did with a grunt and a couple wise remarks. Sadie came to sit beside you and grabbed a dish to clean. ''Told you they would find out'' she giggled. You couldn't help but smirk at her comment but you stayed silent. The two of you continued to wash the dishes. Your eyes scanned the camp to try find John but instead landed on Arthur walking towards you.

''Mornin' Ladies'' he tipped his hat to the both of you.

''Arthur'' Sadie greeted him as she carried on scrubbing one of the dishes.

‘’(Y/N), can I have a word?’’ his voice was hushed as if to try and not draw too much attention to us. You glanced at Sadie who gave you an approving nod before you dried your hands on your trousers and stood up to follow Arthur. The giggling coming from the other girls behind you were more then obvious, but you ignored them. You followed Arthur back towards the dock where you had been standing not too long ago.

‘’You alright?’’ Arthur asked as you reached the dock. He placed a hand softly on your lower arm, almost taking your hand whilst looking straight into your eyes. His touch suddenly warmed your whole body and your cheeks flushed red. You were slightly embarrassed to how easily this man could change your whole mood with a simple touch. His bright blue eyes were unavoidable, you could see the corner of his mouth was upturned as he looked at you which only made your heart race faster.

‘’I am now’’ you smiled up at him. He smiled sweetly back at you as he intertwined his fingers in yours. Quickly, you glanced back towards the camp to see if anyone was watching. Before you could let go of his hand and pull away, Arthur’s free hand reached your cheek to move your face back to focus on him.

‘’Cat’s outta the bag (Y/N)’’ he smirked at your panicked reaction. ‘’I guess I’m to blame for that’’ his hand cupped your cheek still as he looked from your eyes to your lips. He was right, everyone in camp knew by now that something was going on. There was no point in hiding it. ‘’I just wanted to make sure that you were alright with it all?’’ he lowered his voice slightly as you dropped your eyes to look down at the floor.

You wanted to say how much you hated that people were already trying to know all your business, you hated that the attention was focused on the two of you because you were the biggest news in camp. Being on your own for so long you had gotten used to no one paying you any attention and you liked it that way, you never had to explain yourself to anyone. The words couldn’t form in your mouth and as you looked back up to meet Arthur’s eyes all of your worries seemed to fade away. If the whole camp knowing meant that the both of you could stop sneaking around and be together then you didn’t seem to care. All that mattered to you was Arthur.

‘’I’m alright. Though you owe me’’ you smirked at him. ‘’You don’t have to deal with the girls wanting to know every detail’’. Arthur laughed shyly as he pulled you closer to him. He leaned down and kissed you softly. It didn’t feel like your previous kisses, you were very aware that anyone could be watching but it felt more meaningful somehow. You didn’t have to hide your affection for one another. You felt a warm feeling at the fact that Arthur was happy for the camp to know about his feeling towards you.

‘’How about I take you outta camp for the night?’’ Arthur smiled leaning his forehead against yours.

‘’Deal’’ you smiled before placing a soft kiss on his cheek. The two of you slowly made your way back into camp before Mrs Grimshaw came over to tell you both to stop slacking. As you walked into the heart of camp you noticed everyone’s attention was on the both of you and you could feel a hot flush run through your body.

‘’I better finish my chores’’ you gestured back towards Sadie who was still busy washing dishes. Arthur smiled before leaning down and kissing your cheek in front of the whole camp. The gesture produced a gasp and whispers that could be heard from the girls who were watching the both of you. You bit your lip and your cheeks flushed once more before heading back towards Sadie. You sat down next to her and continued with your work, you couldn’t help the smile that graced your face.

‘’I hope you know that I can’t save you from the oncomin’ questions now’’ Sadie giggled. It was as if the other girls had heard Sadie’s comment because almost instantly they had all gathered round you.

‘’When did it happen?’’

‘’Is he a good kisser?’’

‘’Is he romantic?’’

Their questions came thick and fast and you did your best at answering as Sadie sat smirking at you. You must have looked like a rabbit when face to face with a cougar as the questions piled in. Once you washed the last dish you stood up and held your hands up in surrender.

‘’Alright, alright. Enough questions for one day’’ the girls all sighed with the loss of excitement. ‘’I’ll see y'all later’’ you took no time in waiting for their response as you strode across camp to find Dutch. As you crossed camp you scanned it to see if John had made an appearance. He was still nowhere to be seen so you shrugged it off. Dutch was sat in his tent reading one of his novels when you approached him.

‘’Ahh (Y/N)’’ he closed the book as he saw you stood in the opening of his tent. ‘’You ready to go?’’.

‘’Yeah’’ you nodded as he put his book down on his cot and gestured for you to lead the way to the horses. Dallas favouring his leg still so you took one of the spare horses for the day. You both mounted up and you followed closely behind Dutch as he led the way out of camp and onto the main road to town. The both of you rode in silence which only made you more nervous. Dutch had always been kind to you and impressed with your work but you had never had to prove yourself to him before or spent any time with him alone. Luckily Rhodes wasn’t too far from camp and you both hitched your horses outside of the saloon before making your way inside. Dutch ordered you both a beer and you took a seat at a free table in the corner of the room. The saloon was quiet as it was only midday but there was a piano player which filled the empty atmosphere.

‘’So, I want to see first hand what you can do Miss’’ Dutch broke the silence as you took a sip from your beer. ‘’I’ve heard a lot of great things but never seen it for myself’’ he smirked at you before joining you in a drink. You didn’t exactly know what Dutch was expecting. All the jobs that you have done for the gang had been planned by someone else and you just did as you were told.

‘’What’s the plan?’’ you asked, slightly confused.

‘’No plan’’ Dutch raised his eyebrows. ‘’Just do what you do best’’ he leant back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest, expecting to watch a show. You took a deep breath and glanced around the bar trying to find a target. Rhodes wasn’t too far away from the city of Saint Denis which meant many rich folk passed through regularly. You spotted a couple of men sat at the bar, both well dressed and merrily drinking. They looked like they were celebrating something as they toasted to one another’s success. You quickly gulped the rest of your drink before giving Dutch a nod in their direction. Dutch glanced over at the two men and the corner of his mouth tugged upwards in a mischievous smile before he nodded at you. You straightened out your clothing and fixed your hair before making your way over to the bar to stand next to the two men.

You gestured for the bartender before ordering another beer. Once, you had been served your drink you stood, leaning on the bar in a way that would attract a man’s eye to the curve of your bum. One of the men took the bait straight away and turned his attention to you as you began to drink your beer.

‘’What is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing in a town like this?’’ he leaned towards you. His breath stank of alcohol and his eyes were slightly glazed over indicating he was a lot more drunk then you had first thought.

‘’Just passin’ through’’ you smiled sweetly placing a hand on his forearm. ‘’How about yourself?’’. Before you knew it, you were standing in between the two men drinking your beer and creating convocation. They both had closed some sort of business deal that you paid no interest too and were celebrating. You hummed along whilst congratulating them. They were both quite young, handsome men so you acted as though you were falling for their charms. After your second beer that they had bought you, you decided to take your leave and go back to Dutch. Both the men were slightly disappointed that you were leaving however, they let you go without any complaints.

‘’I think it’s best we leave now’’ you smiled at Dutch who sat watching you with a confused expression. He didn’t question you and followed you out of the saloon and to your horses.

‘’(Y/N), I think you missed the point of this trip’’ he finally turned to you before you mounted your horse. You grinned at him, before he could say another word you produced 2 watches, $20, a golden ring, a packet of cigarettes and what seemed to be an engagement ring from your pockets. You placed all the items in Dutch’s hand.

‘’Pretty sure we can sell this stuff at the general store. Plus, I found out that they have a bunch of deeds back at their house which isn’t too far from here. Turns out they will both be out of town on business next week. Might be worth a look’’ you smirked feeling pretty pleased with yourself.

‘’Well I must say, I am impressed’’ Dutch nodded at you, you couldn't help but hear the slight shock in his voice. This only made you more smug about doing a good job. ‘’Let’s go see what we can get for these’’ Dutch chuckled as he stuffed the items into his pockets. The both of you mounted up and began to head to the main street. As you were riding down the street you passed by Hosea and Arthur. They were on their way to the saloon with a wagon full of moonshine. Hosea had dressed Arthur up in a hat and a pipe sticking out of his mouth and you couldn’t help but giggle at the sight. They both tipped their hats to you as you passed one another but no words were exchanged. Arthur rolled his eyes as he saw the amusement on both yours and Dutch's faces.

"He's never been one for playing dress up" Dutch remarked. "No doubt we will get an earful later" he bellowed whilst laughing.

Dutch and yourself entered the general store and sold the items for $40 altogether. He decided to buy you a broach of a horse’s head cast in bronze that you had taken a shine too. You thanked him on the way out before pinning the broach to your shirt. The two of you began your journey back to camp ignoring the noises coming from the saloon. Clearly whatever Hosea and Arthur was up to was working in their favour.

‘’Good work today Miss (Y/L/N)’’ he smiled at you as you rode side by side. ‘’I’m glad we found you’’. This made you light up. You knew Dutch was hard to please and to hear him say these things only made you feel more at home in the gang. Although, you couldn't help but think of your convocation that you had by the dock that morning. You hadn't spoken about your relationship with Arthur this whole trip, which you originally though that's what this was about.

‘’Thanks Dutch’’ you smiled at him. ‘’Can I ask you a question?’’ he nodded at you to continue. You cleared your throat and gathered up the courage before speaking up. ‘’Earlier, you said that you hope that me and Arthur don’t become a problem, what did you mean?’’ you asked so shyly that you thought he might not have even been able to hear you. You heard him take a deep breath in as you looked at the road in front of you, avoiding his gaze. The silence was deafening, the only sound was your heart racing as Dutch thought about your question.

‘’I meant no offence’’ he cleared his throat before carrying on. ‘’Things like relationships can be a hard thing with the way we live. They can get in the way and distract us from our responsibilities. As long as you know the gang comes above anything else, it shouldn’t be a problem. Keep up the hard work’’ Dutch scanned your face for your reaction. You looked up to catch his gaze before nodding. "And Miss (Y/L/N), I won't tolerate any more fighting in camp" he warned looking straight into you.

‘’I understand. It won’t get in the way’’ you promised Dutch. Although you knew he meant well you couldn’t help but feel he thought you might take Arthur away from his work or even the gang. You had no intension of doing so as you knew how much the gang meant to him, and how much it was starting to mean to you as well. It was like a family, one that you have been needing for so long.

Once you were back in camp Dutch left you to tend to the horses. You brushed the borrowed horse and the Count before feeding them some carrots as a treat. It wasn’t long before the sun began to set on another day and you helped yourself to some of Pearson’s stew. Lenny came to keep you company and sat on the log next to you by the fire. It was nice to talk to someone who wasn't interested enough to ask about your and Arthur's relationship. Lenny was the youngest in the gang but he talked as though he was the oldest. He was incredibly smart and always good company.

‘’You seen John today?’’ you asked as you scanned the camp still unable to locate John.

‘’Yeah, he has been on guard most of the day, didn’t want anyone to relieve him of his post’’ Lenny shrugged. You turned your nose up at the thought of John wanting to be on guard all day. He hated that job, he always complained that it was boring. Maybe something had happened between him and Abigail which made him want to be by himself for a while. You were about to go and check on him when you saw Arthur ride back into camp. He dismounted Siego and marched over to speak to Dutch and Micah. You and Lenny both tried to overhear their conversation without any luck. Whatever they were taking about, you could tell Arthur wasn't too pleased about it. You turned your attention back to the remainders of your stew and scraped the bowl clean.

‘’Ma’am’’ Arthur drew your attention from your bowl. He held his hand out for you to take which you did gladly. He pulled you onto your feet before taking your bowl from you and placing it in the wash tub. ‘’You ready to go?’’ he questioned, his tone was slightly irritated still by his convocation with Dutch. You had completely forgotten about going out of camp with Arthur tonight but you nodded to not irritate him further. You said your goodbyes to Lenny before grabbing a couple of spare clothes from your tent and meeting Arthur by the horses.

You rode together back into Rhodes. Arthur remained quiet for the ride, you could tell something had angered him but you didn’t want to pry just yet. Instead you decided to let him calm down. Arthur led you up to the Rhodes hotel, you glanced at him slightly shocked. You had expected to go back to the open field that you had slept the other night. You followed sheepishly behind him, trying to remember the last time you had slept in a real bed. Arthur paid for a room and for a bath each before grabbing the key and guiding you to the room.

The room was spacious, with a double bed in the middle of the back wall and a wardrobe to the side. There was a draw at each bedside with a lantern placed on each one. As it was already dark outside so the room was slightly dim lit but that didn't faze you. You gingerly walked around the room and placed your things to one side. As you passed each draw, you automatically searched through them to see if there were any leftover belongings.

‘’We ain’t robbin’ the place’’ Arthur smirked as he watched you open and close all the empty draws.

‘’I know’’ you giggled slightly embarrassed. ‘’I don’t remember the last time I stayed inside that’s all’’ you felt the softness of the bed and took a deep breath in.

‘’Well we needed to get away from camp. Thought this would be better then a cold night outside" he watched you with a smile.

"You alright?" you finally asked. "Ya seem irritated".

"Nahh it's just Micah. Thinks it's a good idea to rob both the Grey's and the Braithwight's" he shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't think it's the best idea but Dutch seems to take his side" he placed his things in the same pile as yours before walking over to you and placing both his hands on your waist. You place your arms around his neck and pull him close to you for a full enbrace.

"Doesn't seem smart but I'm sure Dutch knows what he's doin'." You tried to reassure him. The truth was you thought it was dumb too. It was a small town and people talk, even with a family feud they would still know it was us that robbed from them. You let go of him just enough so that you could see his face. His jaw was tense and his eyes were looking over your shoulder, deep in thought. You place your hand on his cheek to bring his eyes round to focus back on you, just like he had done earlier. His jaw relaxed as his eyes met yours. You kissed him gently, you could feel his whole body relax when your lips met. He wrapped his arms tighter around you, as if not wanting to ever let you go. You broke the kiss and smiled up at him.

"I'm sorry, let's not talk about the gang tonight" he smirked. ‘’Why don’t ya go get a bath, I’ll get mine after’’. You nodded at him before grabbing some clothes and walking out of your room and down the hall to the bath.

You submerged yourself in the warm water hesitantly. The water felt lovely against your skin, better then washing yourself in the cold lake. You took your time in scrubbing your body head to toe, using the soap provided. It smelt of lavender and filled the room with it’s relaxing scent. Once you had finished you sat in the bath for a couple moments, embracing the last of the warm water before climbing out and drying yourself. You pulled on the clean clothes you had packed before tip toeing your way back to the room. When you walked back in you were surprised to find Arthur was not there. He must have gone to the second bathroom that you had noticed. You perched on the edge of the bed, feeling it dip from your weight. It was so soft and you couldn't wait to have a comfy night sleep. You sat there for a while before deciding to get ready for bed, it was getting late and you were begining to tire. As you rummaged through your things you realised you had forgotten your nightwear. You rolled your eyes and breathed out an irritated sigh at your forgetfulness. Instead you decided to slip on Arthur's shirt that he had given you weeks ago on your hunting trip and remove your trousers. Once, to were comfortable you climbed onto the bed laying down with your head placed on the plump pillow.

There was a knock at the door before Arthur crept back inside the room. He closed the door behind himself before finally letting his eyes find you. His mouth dropped slightly before he took a large gulp finding you in this slight state of undress. The shirt you had borrowed fell down to the middle of your thighs but both your legs were on show to him. You sat up slightly leaning on both elbows and you let yourself look over him. He was standing at the door with just his jeans on, his suspenders left to hang by his legs. You couldn’t help but gaze over him, his upper body was toned with hair gracing his chest leading a path down his stomach into his jeans. The both of you were silent as you allowed yourself to explore with your eyes. Your heart was racing in your chest and a new warm feeling began aching between your legs. You had both seen each other like this when you spent the night away from camp hunting but at that point you avoided looking over each other. This time you both welcomed each other to look. You could feel your heart begining to race as you felt his eyes wonder down your body.

‘’I wondered where my shirt had gotten too’’ Arthur said in a low tone as he slowly made his way over to you. His voice seemed to vibrate through you, making the ache between your legs worsen. This feeling was foreign to you and you began to think something was wrong with you.

‘’I may have forgotten to give it back’’ you admitted shyly, watching every step he made towards you. His shoulders were broad leading to his muscled arms that you longed to warp around you. You couldn't hide the slight shaking in your breath as he got closer. Arthur slowly sat down on the bed beside you and licked his lips. Your chest felt like it was going to burst open as he rested a hand on the bare skin of your leg, just below your knee. The sensation of just his touch sent shivers throught your body. The heat between your legs was intensifying with every passing moment and a knot in the bottom of your stomach started to grow. You slowly looked over his body and back up to meet his striking blue eyes. He didn't shy his gaze away once you met his. There was a look on his face you had never seen before. It was hungry but weary at the same time. You suddenly had a growing awareness of your need for him. You needed him to kiss you. You needed him to touch you and you needed him to relieve this unfamiliar burning feeling between your legs.

Chapter 13

@kashasenpai

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