An Unfortunate Face (Arthur Morgan x Reader)

(27.) That's Murfree Country

You woke up to Arthur stroking your arm lightly. Sunlight was just starting to pour through the adjacent window, making you let out a short groan.

"Mornin' to you too, sweetheart," he chuckled. He pressed a kiss to your temple and rolled away from you, leaving your back cold.

"Arthur..." you mumbled, reaching behind you for him.

"I know," he smiled, "but we gotta get back to camp 'fore Dutch thinks we've up and run out on 'im."

"And what if we did?" you joked, but Arthur suddenly became serious. You'd sensed the animosity growing between them for some time now.

Arthur tried to turn it into a joke again by moving back onto the bed and leaning over you. "S'ppose a few more minutes can't hurt."

***

When you both decided to finally get ready again and head out, it was nearing eight o' clock in the morning. Not too late, but not early either. And if Dutch had any qualms about it, he was going to have to answer to you first.

Arthur lifted you onto his horse before mounting himself. You placed your hands on his muscular waist and leaned onto his back.

"You think everyone's back by now?" you asked.

"Should be," he shrugged. "We was only supposed to wait an hour or two between each of us comin' back."

You nodded and rested your chin on his shoulder for the rest of the ride.

"Arthur, Dutch has been waiting for you," Charles greeted at one of the guard posts.

"I'll take (Arthur's/h/n), go find Dutch," you offered.

"Thanks, y/n. I'll be back."

He hopped off of his horse smoothly and helped you down. He didn't have much time to say goodbye again before Grimshaw was on his back about Dutch, too.

"You have fun last night?" Sadie smirked from behind you, making your face go warm.

"Sadie Adler!" you laughed awkwardly, leading Arthur's horse to one of the hitching posts. "Keep your voice down!"

She lit a cigarette and put it between her lips. "I'm just sayin'," she smirked. "He looked awful happy comin' back."

"Maybe he was happy to see his family again," you retorted.

"I'm only messin' with you, y/n. We're leavin' in a few hours, headin' north—"

"Murfrees camp 'round there," you said, your eyes widening. "They ain't ones to be messed with, Dutch must be out of his mind to be makin' is go north—"

"Ain't like we got anywhere else," she sighed. "Come on, I'll help you pack."

Sadie and Mary-Beth helped pack all of your clothes away while you worried about your cot and tent.

"Oh, don't forget about that dress I washed for you, it's hangin' with the others," Mary-Beth pointed out.

"I'll go get it, thank you," you said as you shoved the last of your personal belongings into one of the wagons.

You quickly made your way to the clothesline and spotted your dress. There were only a few things still left hanging on it, making it easy to spot.

As you were taking it down, an argument started across camp.

Arthur had gotten caught up with Dutch and Hosea, but not without a lecture about how he shouldn't have left the gang so quickly after coming back.