#so i've got those across the chest and arms and then the torso is smoother in my mind

[drpicklesart]

they are going to mehnahnaroo

[one-boring-person]

What's Funny?

John Rambo (between Rambo II and Rambo III) x reader

Warnings: some sexual content implied? Slight injury

Context: John teaches the reader to ride a horse. (Set between the second and third movie)

A/N: this was not supposed to turn out how it did; it was supposed to stay innocent! But ah well, it is what it is. Also, I apologise if parts of this are inaccurate, I am by no means that knowledgeable on horse riding, so please excuse any inaccuracies!

Masterlist

I instinctively tense up in the saddle as I feel the horse beneath me shift, the sensation of being sat on something alive very odd to me, despite all the stranger things I've done in my life. Sensing this, the animal whinnies and paws at the dusty ground, tossing its head slightly, clearly thinking I'm in distress, even though I'm not. Biting my lip, I try to relax again, taking the reins a little looser in my hands, adjusting my feet in the stirrups. Still holding the bridle for me, my companion, John, reaches up to pat the horse's neck, trying to soothe it as he eyes my posture.

"You need to relax more." He states, reaching over to lightly pinch the muscle in my arm, feeling how tense it is, his touch almost reassuring to me, "Stop tensing up so much, nothing bad is gonna happen."

"I know, I'm just...nervous, that's all." I mumble back, slightly ashamed at my incapability to do something he makes look so simple.

"Don't be, you'll be fine. There, now just lightly touch your heels to his side and click your tongue." The dark-haired veteran moves his hands, holding onto the leading rope instead.

Taking a breath, I do as he says, my jaw clenching when the horse starts into a slow walk, snorting and tossing its head impatiently. The movement feels odd beneath me, but I settle into it with some ease, still uncomfortable but not badly so, my eyes flicking to John for knowledge on whether I'm doing this right. He watches me carefully, leading the horse round in a circle, adjusting my posture here and there, sending me a look of reassurance when he catches my eye. I start getting the hang of it, relaxing slightly into the saddle as the horse starts to get used to me, the movements becoming smoother and more fluid, a small hesitant smile breaking out onto my lips. 

"Enjoying yourself?" John asks after a moment, the start of a smile pulling at his lips, dark eyes glittering with triumph. 

"Yeah, I am now." I reply, grinning at him as I reach forward to pat the horse's neck.

"Good, I'm glad." He responds, swiping a hand over his brow, "Stop a minute, I've gotta take this off."

The muscular man gestures to his large overshirt, waiting for me to slow to a halt before dropping the lead and going to the fence, where he takes his shirt off over his head. I find myself watching his every movement, enraptured by the way his muscles flex and move under his tanned, scarred skin, his torso hidden by one of his black sleeveless shirts, his shoulders bulging as he removes the fabric hiding them. Licking my lips at the sight, I forget to pay attention to the horse beneath me, yelping when it suddenly bucks upwards, the unexpected movement throwing me off the saddle a little, the animal quickly working to lose me completely. Getting my feet loose from the stirrups, I find myself thrown to the floor, dull pain exploding across my ribs as I land harshly, the impact winding me. Neighing, the stallion jumps into a more uncontrolled pace, seemingly having been spooked by something, leaving me lying in the dust as it moves off. 

"(Y/n)! Are you alright?" John calls out to me as he realises what's happened, the veteran swiftly moving to catch the fast-moving horse, grabbing it and calming it. Leading it back over, he hurriedly drops to the floor beside me, helping me sit upright as I press a hand to my ribs, groaning a little.

"Yeah, I'm good. Caught me by surprise." I wince, looking up at him, allowing him to help me up.

He looks me over, making sure I'm not seriously injured, before starting to consider something, a slight grin playing at his lips.

"What's funny?" I ask him curiously, dusting myself down.

"Hm? Oh, I just find it amusing that for a person who I've seen drive a car, motorcycle, tank, and fly planes and helicopters, as well as navigate boats, in all kinds of conditions, you've never mastered horse riding." He explains, chuckling slightly.

Pouting, I push his arm lightly, eyeing up the horse again.

"Yeah, well all those things are inanimate when they start, and I can fully control them. This creature has a mind of its own. Literally." I gesture to the horse, still slightly intimidated by the size of it.

"True." John hums, still smiling, "I've got an idea on how to help you."

"Oh?" 

"Yeah, come on." 

Going back to the horse, John motions for me to climb up again, helping me settle back into the saddle as I swallow down the slight fear in my throat. Trying to relax, I expect John to start adjusting my posture instantly, only to be very surprised when he suddenly appears behind me on the horse's back, perched lightly on the saddle, chest pressed flush to my back as his arms thread through mine, taking the reins in hand. My breath falters in my throat momentarily as he adjusts himself, his body moulding to mine to be more comfortable, his own breaths hot on my skin as he leans forwards slightly. Against my sides, I can feel every flex of his muscles, my heart stuttering from the sensation, meaning I nearly miss it as he takes my hands in his and holds the reins with them.

"Relax, (Y/n). The horse can sense if you're tense." John advises me, his rough voice resonating through me from this proximity. Somehow, this does help me to relax, and I feel myself go limper in his arms.

After a second, I feel John's thighs tense up as he gently taps his heels to the horse's sides, guiding the animal into a slow walk. His body moves in time with the horse, encouraging me to do the same, the action feeling much safer now that I can feel him help guide the animal. Swallowing, I try to ignore the feeling of his chest rubbing against my back, and the slight tickle from his long hair brushing over my shoulders. 

"See, you're getting the hang of it." John encourages me after a little while, his hands moving from mine to rest lightly on my thighs, leaving me to guide the horse around. Though the movement is casual, it sends goosebumps up through my body, my legs tensing slightly under his touch. He must've noticed it by now, but he seems to ignore it, instead helping me continue to ride.

I squeak in surprise when his lips suddenly make contact with my neck, the veteran leaving a very deliberate kiss just over my pulse point, his mouth lingering there as his hands slide up to grasp my waist. Nosing at the skin, he continues to press gentle kisses over the area, feeling my body relax under his hands, falling back into his chest as he continues his actions. Gently, he trails kisses down my neck to my shoulder, relishing in the small sounds of pleasure escaping me, my body yearning for more from him, years of craving his touch making me extremely vulnerable to his ministrations now.

"J-John…" I sigh, tilting my head to give him better access.

Beneath us, I can feel the horse getting antsy, the animal clearly aware that our attention is now split. John clearly feels it, too, as he takes the reins again and pulls the horse to a halt, reluctantly climbing down. Sighing from the loss of contact, I follow his lead, keeping my gaze downturned as he takes the horse out of the area we used for practice, trailing after him as he swiftly hands the creature back over to its owner, speaking quickly with them before he takes me behind the stable. 

Once there, he pushes me up against the wall, lips crashing into mine, his hands gripping my waist and pulling me into him, my own arms wrapping around his neck. Moaning into the kiss, I press closer to him, feeling safe in his arms as we move in time with each other, years of pent up emotion flooding across the connection. His scent, sweat mixed with the faint remains of incense from the temple, surrounds me, calming my racing heart at its familiarity, making me wish I could stay this close to him forever. 

Eventually, he pulls away, both of us needing air, his forehead pressing into mine, our breaths mingling with each other.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't wait any longer." He finally says, his dark eyes searching mine for a rejection.

"Don't apologise. I'm not sure how much longer I would've lasted, honestly." I admit, carding my fingers through his soft hair, enjoying the feeling of the messy strands under my touch. 

Smiling, John leans in and captures my lips again for a chaste kiss, before pulling back completely, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into his side.

"Come on, let's go somewhere more private."

[porkchop-ao3]

A Thrill I’ve Never Known (Chapter 14)

Leisure Time

Some leisure time with Arthur <3 

(All chapters tagged with #ATINK and also posted on Ao3, username PorkChop)

  -

I'd grown used to waking up early, before anyone else, and putting on a pot of coffee. It'd quickly become my routine, so when I approached the fire to see that it was already lit and there was already a pot of coffee waiting for me, it surprised me. I poured myself a cup and looked around the camp, expecting Pearson to be around. He was, but he was still sleeping; that's when I noticed that Arthur's bed was empty. Immediately I felt the usual pang of adrenaline spreading from my stomach at the prospect of him being around; it was becoming more familiar, more pleasant. Excitement rather than nerves. 

I wandered the camp looking for him, finally finding him behind Pearson's wagon with a bucket of water and a wet cloth. I jumped when I realised that he was shirtless, just as he looked up and noticed me. 

"Oh! I'm sorry," I mumbled, turning to head off. 

"No, it's alright. How you doing this morning?" He asked. I stopped, my back still to him, taking a second to breathe before turning around. 

"Not too bad. Yourself?" I asked. He was washing himself, wiping the cloth up and down his chest and under his arms. The top of his union suit was hanging down over his jeans, his upper body totally bare. His torso was gently toned under a fine layer of soft cushion, he was brawny and undeniably masculine with a generous smattering of chest hair. I tried so very hard not to stare.

The side of Arthur's mouth turned up when he caught my expression; he must've known how he made me feel. 

"Not too bad," he echoed me, wringing out his washcloth before wiping it around his neck. "Did Micah give you any more trouble yesterday?"

"Oh, no. He left me alone after you left," I told him, dawdling over to the wagon and leaning up against it, putting me a little closer to him. I sipped my coffee.

"Well, you know where I am if he ever does," he said, then scrubbed at his face. I admired his toned arms as they moved, shining a little with water. I averted my gaze before he pulled the cloth away from his face, staring off towards a group of chickens nearby.

"Thank you, but I should be fine," I assured him and he chuckled.

"I don't doubt that."

"I heard the robbery went okay, a lot of lawmen but a decent take," I said, watching him nod his head slowly.

"Yeah, it went alright. Sounds funny, hearing you talk like that."

"What, about robberies?" I asked, the corner of my mouth lifting in amusement.

"You don't look like– I don't think it suits you, much," he told me, and I wasn't sure how to respond. 

"What does suit me?" 

"I haven't figured it out yet," he shrugged.

I looked at him for a while before averting my eyes, pursing my lips in thought. I really didn't know what to make of the conversation. In the end I simply changed the subject.

"I spoke to Abigail yesterday," I told him, looking back to see him pick up a towel and start drying off. "She don't hate me, like I thought she did."

"I didn't think she would, I told you you worry too much. Still, must be a weight off your shoulders," he said.

"Absolutely," I laughed. He put the towel aside, leaning up against the side of the wagon and facing me, making no move to redress. "She'd heard what Karen said and she seemed to take no notice."

"What, about you and Marston?" He smirked, forever seeming amused by the concept. I nodded my head. "Abigail has her head screwed on, she can sniff out a bunch of bull with the best of 'em."

"She's certainly observant," I laughed, shaking my head and chewing the inside of my cheek. 

"You told me you didn't like how you were coming across; seems you were wrong about that. Folk'll see your intentions, you ain't here to cause trouble. So, I guess now you ain't got nothing to worry about, you won't be so eager to get away from us?" He joked.

"You know? You're right about that," I admitted, and Arthur's brows raised, amusement draining from his face being replaced with uncertainty. 

"I'm sorry?" 

"Truth be told, I did some thinking yesterday about what I wanna do. I realised maybe I don't wanna run off as much as I thought I did," I sighed, chewing on my lip. 

"You can't be serious?" Arthur let out a breath that was halfway between a laugh and a sound of disbelief. I frowned and straightened up, facing him head on.

"What do you mean? You were the one asking me the other day if I really wanted to leave, sounded a bit like you thought I'd be better off staying. What's changed?" I asked and Arthur paused for a while, keeping his eyes on mine. I kept Abigail's words in mind and forced myself to hold eye contact. 

"That was before the Pinkertons showed up," he finally said. 

"And? You said you all had each others' backs, looked out for each other. Maybe I… maybe I wanna be a part of all that," I told him and creases formed between his brows.

"You've certainly changed your tune, little miss lone wolf," he snorted. 

"I realised something," I said, gaining an expectant look from him. "People, they– when they're in a situation they can't exactly change they have ways of making themselves feel better. They tell themselves all sorts of lies to change their outlook, to protect themselves," I looked down at the ground.

"What do you mean by that?" 

"I convinced myself I liked being alone, that it was the only way for me, cause it was easier than dealing with the fact that I was lonely and scared about what the future might hold for me; no friends, no nothing," I told him, despite everything in my head screaming at me not to. Once this was said there was no going back. 

Arthur was quiet for a long time and I looked up at him to see his reaction. He looked thoughtful, his face soft and considerate. 

"But the more time I've spent here the more I realise, being alone is nice and all but it ain't something I want permanently. The way I've been living this past year, I've just been surviving, scraping through, I don't think I've spent five minutes not being tense. Here, I've been sleeping through the night, not waking up every time I hear a damn rustle in the trees. I've… I've smiled." 

"I thought you were happy on your own," he said. 

"So did I. Not as happy, it turns out, as I am actually interacting with human beings on a regular basis," I laughed. "Feeling like I'm part of something, like I can contribute, be useful. That's better than just surviving. I wanna help you folk, you're good people," I reached out and touched his arm, forgetting for a moment his lack of a shirt and flushing when my hand met bare skin. 

I pulled my hand away and cleared my throat, Arthur seemed to read my mind and shimmied his arms back into his union suit, buttoning it up as he spoke. 

"I don't know about that. I can see what you're saying, and part of me wants to tell you to stick around for those reasons exactly. But we've got the law after us, I don't want you getting wrapped up in and punished for something you weren't even involved in, just by way of association with us," he told me, his voice lowering and turning smoother, deeper. Very pleasant on the ears indeed. 

"That don't put me off, much," I shrugged. "After all, what's my alternative? I wave goodbye and go back to what; my tent? Going days on end without saying a word 'cause there's no one around to hear it? That might've worked for me before but it ain't now, no thanks," I shook my head. "I don't have many options, Arthur. And I like it here."

"You're a woman, you've always got options," Arthur said, and when I cocked a brow at him, he explained. "You could ride up to Valentine right now and find a feller who'd make an honest woman out of you, put a roof over your head, build a life with you. One that don't involve robbing."

"You think? A woman with no money, no reputation at all, let alone a good one. No family. I don't know, Arthur, I ain't all that much of an eligible bachelorette."

"Lot'a folk round here don't care about that. I know if I was leading a normal life and I was lookin' for a woman, I'd– well, I ain't gonna finish that, save you the embarrassment," Arthur muttered, averting his eyes with an awkward chuckle. I felt warm with his words, a special seed of something planting itself in the pit of my stomach that made me want to stick around even more. "My point is, you have other options."

I shook my head. "Whatever your point is, I don't much like the sound of having my whole future resting on the shoulders of some hypothetical man."

Arthur's brows raised, an enlightened look appearing on his face. After a moment he wagged his finger at me, "you know what? Forget all that."

"Huh?"

"I'm speaking from where the sun don't shine," he started, chuckling. "You, m'lady, are stubborn. You're stubborn, real independent, and eventually you'll make your mind up."

"I already have."

"I tell you what, this ain't my decision to make; I'm leaving the door open for you, but I ain't pushing you through it. You wanna stay? I'm sure Dutch'd be real happy about that,” he said, his voice lifting again, turning breezy. 

"And what about you? Would you be happy if I were to stay? You seem just as indecisive as me when it comes to whether I should be staying or leaving."

"Miss, it don't matter what I think," he tilted his head at me and sighed. "You're gonna do exactly what you want, regardless."

"Would you be happy if I stayed?" I repeated, putting my coffee down on the table by Arthur's bucket of water. 

Arthur stared at me in consideration, searching my eyes. I refused to look away despite my heart pounding in my chest, trying to escape up my throat it seemed. Eventually he let out a quiet breath, licking his lips and looking at something off in the distance behind me.

"I enjoy knowing you, ma'am. If you leaving meant I'd never see you again then sure, you staying would be preferable."

A smirk spread across my face before I could stop it and Arthur mirrored it, though there was an edge of questioning behind his. 

"That's a lot of words, Arthur. Are you saying you like me?" I asked, allowing my tone to dip into something mischievous. Why not have a little fun?

"I like hearing what you've got to say, you've got an interesting way of thinking about things. You make for pleasant company. Yes, I like you," he said slowly, a slight playful edge to his words. His smirk wasn't going anywhere.

"Well, I'm glad," I simply said and he shook his head and laughed. 

"Is this one of your 'caring too much about what other people think of you' things? Cause I thought we got over that, with Abigail," he said. I shrugged my shoulders. 

"Not this time. I was just checking since I'm fond of you, too," I dared to say.

Arthur kept his eyes on me for a little while and I was certain I was going to have to lay down to recover from the way my heart had been pounding for so long. He cleared his throat and seemed to force himself to stop smiling, pouting his lips into this badly rendered serious face.

"Ma'am, if you're staying I'll treat you no different to any of the others. I welcome you with open arms, just as long as you keep pulling your weight, which I know you will," he said, turning and picking up the bucket, carrying it off towards the treeline. My legs carried me after him. 

"Speaking of, you got anything on that I can help you with?" I asked. Arthur tossed the water out into the foliage then turned to me.

"You really have changed your tune, first time we rode out hunting together you couldn't seem to get away quick enough."

"Well, you know, that was back when I was still being all reclusive," I said, making Arthur chuckle. 

"I ain't got nothing on till later; I'm meeting John in Valentine. I have a few hours before that, how's about we take a ride together? Staying out of trouble this time."

"Just take a ride? For leisure?”

"Yeah, for leisure. Or if you'd prefer, we'll say we're going out looking for… berries. Herbs. Gathering stuff. Whatever we call it, I could use some time away from here," he told me, placing his bucket down and waiting for my response. 

"I'd like that. While we're out I'll keep my eye out for some oleander; Charles asked if I could get him some."

"You ain't gonna find much oleander around here, we'd have to ride out towards Lemoyne for that, prob'ly," he pointed out. 

"Well, how long do you have before you're meeting John?"

Arthur pursed his lips. "We'll head in that direction and see how far we get, no promises. Finish your coffee and I'll go put a shirt on," Arthur touched my arm gently as he passed me on the way to his tent, and I watched him go as I picked up my coffee. It was on the verge of going cold, so I downed it in one.

-

Arthur and I set off once again before anyone else had woken up, anyone would think we were keeping secrets. It was another hot day and Arthur had handed me his spare hat again; commenting for a second time that it suited me. The hat itself was a little big on me but it fit me enough to stay on while riding, it had a wide, dark leather brim and a decorative purple band, studded with metal buttons all the way around. I hadn't seen myself in it, but I trusted Arthur's judgement in that I didn't look silly. 

We didn't speak for quite some time, but it didn't feel awkward or strange. Our horses trotted side by side and the two of us took in the peace of the early morning, enjoying the picturesque views of the heartlands. I was content to ride in silence, assuming that Arthur was as lost in his head as I was, but he surprised me by being the one to speak first. 

"Where'd you live, if you don't mind me asking? Before you started moving around?" He asked. 

"Oh, in Lemoyne, actually. A bit outside of Saint Denis. You ever been to Saint Denis, Arthur?" 

"Me? Nah, it's a big city. I don't much like those," he admitted. I looked over at him and he continued. "Far too much civilisation, I prefer it out west."

"I've never really been out west. Blackwater is the furthest I've been but I've never explored any of New Austin. Seemed a little like suicide, going on my own with just my tent, I've heard stories of cholera outbreaks and all sorts," I said. Arthur hummed in consideration. 

"You were probably wise, staying away," he nodded in agreement. "So you're a city dweller, first and foremost?" He asked, his tone just a little bit teasing. 

"I wouldn't go that far. Like I said, we lived outside of the city, but I did go in occasionally. It's busy there, and noisy. I much prefer these quieter parts, I've been staying in the heartlands mostly since then. Swamps ain't all that nice to camp in, with all the gators and such," I chuckled. "Plus there's some strange folk around there, it's much safer here."

"You'll find strange folk everywhere," Arthur pointed out and by his tone I imagined he'd had more than a few run-ins. He laughed as though something just occurred to him. "And a guess to a lot of people, we could be the strange folk."

"Yes, I suppose so," I agreed. 

We fell quiet again, and the open space around us felt far too tempting. I was the next to break the silence.

"Can we go fast?" I asked, and Arthur sputtered out a surprised laugh. 

"I thought I was out fishing with Jack again. You turn into a big kid when you're put behind the reins, huh?"

"May we gallop, sir?" I rephrased, putting on a more refined manner of speaking. Arthur smirked at me without saying anything, then called to his horse, using his spurs to speed him up. He bolted ahead of me and I giggled as I sped up after him.

Riding fast was one of my favourite feelings in the world. It was always so exhilarating, feeling the air blasting at your body, feeling the power behind your horse, covering so much ground and feeling completely free. I loved it.

I soon caught Arthur up and rode alongside him. The rhythmic pounding of hooves on the ground below and the whistle of wind past my ears provided a satisfying soundtrack; though I did have to catch Arthur's hat from flying off my head a number of times. It was fun, it made my heart pump as quick as a well timed smile from Arthur tended to, and I laughed aloud as we crossed the earth at impressive speeds. 

We rode like that for a while, slowing up to give the horses a break by the time we reached Dewberry Creek. 

"That enough excitement for you?" He asked me as we settled into a relaxed canter. 

"For now," I grinned. 

"How's that saddle suiting you?" He asked and I glanced down at it. 

"It's great! Thank you for letting me use it," I said.

"It's yours now, I don't need it."

"Hey, can you catch?" I asked, reaching into the pocket of my jeans and retrieving a watch. 

"From the back of a horse?" Arthur looked over at me with a cocked brow. I drew my arm back as if I was about to toss it to him. ”No, I probably can't!" He quickly said and I laughed; I was never actually going to throw it.

Our horses slowed even more and I steered Rayna closer to him, and handed Arthur the pocket watch. 

"It's one of the ones we got from the Schwartz' place. I snagged it from the pile for you," I told him. He opened it up and inspected it. It was a fancy looking watch; not that I knew much about them. I just thought it was nice and I had wanted to give something to Arthur as a token of gratitude.

"Aw, well this is very nice. Thank you, ma'am," he said, his words mumbled just a little like he wasn't sure how to act. 

"A little trade for the saddle, I suppose," I said. Arthur laughed.

"My old saddle that I was thinking of tossing?"

"Yeah well, that's a stolen watch, so I guess it's the thought that counts for the both of us," I said and Arthur seemed to agree. 

"You know this thing is engraved?"

"Is it, where?”

"On the inside of the case, it says; so you will always hold me close," he read out. My face flushed, I hadn't noticed at all and I might've thought twice about giving it to him if I'd have known. No doubt he thought there was something behind it, a not so subtle hint. "Reckon it's from his wife?" He asked, and I was relieved that he seemed so unbothered by it.

After a moment to gather myself I said; "Either her or his last servant girl," and Arthur laughed aloud, clicking the watch closed and slipping it into his satchel. "Struck me as the type to always have a bit on the side."

"You know, it's a shame I couldn't come along with you to do that job," he said, surprising me. 

"You'd've wanted to?"

"Yeah. Especially if I knew Micah was gonna go with you instead," he sighed.

"You really ain't fond of him, are you?" I observed and he gave me an obvious look. "Well, I thought he was a bit of a creep. He was great at his job but he sure weren't comfortable to be alone with."

"No surprises there. I reckon he'll try something with you, given half a chance. He's bothered all the girls, Abigail'll tell you; but you're the shiny new toy. Dutch knows what he's like, I'm not sure why he'd send him off with you.”

"I needed someone to do the job with and he was available," I shrugged. 

"I suppose. Just you be careful with him."

”I will be. I've dealt with fellers like him before, in saloons all over these parts," I said, then glanced past him at the view behind him. "Wow, look at that. This country really is beautiful, ain't it?"

Both of us stopped on the trail for a moment, looking out across Scarlett Meadows. We were by an expanse of rolling hills filled with wildflowers, lush trees and wildlife. Deer were wandering in small clusters and the sound of birdsong surrounded us. It was moments like this that made me really appreciate how lucky I was to still be alive. 

Arthur pulled a journal out of his satchel and flipped it open. Without saying a word he started sketching in it, putting down what he saw in front of him on paper. I was impressed by how his eyes stayed mostly on the scenery, only dipping down occasionally to check on where his pencil was going; it occurred to me he must draw a lot to be so confident with his marks. 

"I won't be a minute," he murmured as he worked. I leaned forward, resting on the horn of my saddle as I waited for him. 

Truth be told we could stay there all day, I was more than happy admiring the way he worked. The way his large hand gripped the pencil with surprising sensitivity, his wrist moving in jerky motions as he blocked in areas of light and dark, the way he was completely absorbed in what he was doing to the point where I wouldn't dream of speaking to him at the risk of distracting him. I was thoroughly rapt by him in that moment, and the realisation that my little crush on him was only growing more intense came knocking. My instinct was to look away from him at that, but I didn't. 

By the time he was done the side of his hand was muckied with graphite from where he'd moved it across the paper, but he didn't seem to notice or mind as he lifted his journal, having a proper look at what he'd produced. He was good, the drawing he'd made stretched over two pages and it was lovely, and he'd done it so quickly. He flipped the page and wrote something down briefly, before closing up his journal and putting it away. With that, he picked up his reins and carried on. 

He just wasn't going to say something about that?

"You draw?" I said, stating the obvious. "From what I saw that was really good, Arthur."

"I like to keep a record of the things I see," he told me. "I wouldn't know if they really are any good, but I draw them for myself so I suppose it don't really matter."

"Well, I thought it was good," I shrugged. "Not that my opinion matters."

"Thanks," he said, looking over at me. He looked like he was waiting for something, I just looked back at him blankly until he chuckled. "I reckon you're one of the first people who ain't asked to look."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want me to ask?" Oops, was that incredibly rude of me?

"No," he shook his head. "I'm pleasantly surprised, is all."

"Oh, good. Well, I didn't ask because I know those things are sometimes personal, and in your case it clearly is. I used to draw, but I couldn't get two lines sketched before someone was looking over my shoulder. It embarrassed me, to be honest, so I haven't done it in a while." 

"You should start again. What did you like to draw?" 

"Would it sound terribly conceited if I said I drew myself a lot? I used to sit in front of the mirror in my mother's room and sketch myself. I liked drawing faces but my family didn't like it when I tried to draw them, told me to stop staring. So I just used myself as a model," I chuckled. 

"You wanna draw something now?" He offered.

"Right now?"

"Sure. I'll give you some paper, let you borrow my pencil. You can even draw me, if you like drawing faces. I don't mind, it'll give me an excuse to sit still for a while and do nothing," he laughed. 

"Oh, that's a lot of pressure, it'll be bad. I haven't picked up a pencil in ages."

"You don't have to show me," he reassured me. He said it so softly and with such understanding that I felt touched by it. I paused for a moment, then nodded. 

"Then, yes please. I'd enjoy that."