HIS II | Arthur Morgan x Reader

The Past Can't Hurt You

'...It is with regret that I must ask you to leave no later than tomorrow evening.

Yours,

Mary.'

Arthur's eyes trace over the letter again, not quite believing the words he was reading; one of Mary's maids had delivered it this morning, practically shaking as she handed over the small envelope; Mary didn't even have the gall to tell him herself. Crumpling up the paper he places his head in his hands, rubbing his palms into his eyes and hoping to wipe away the reality of the past few hours.

"Shit." He sighs.

His mind begins to spiral through possible solutions, coming up short each time as he tries to navigate a plan that would allow him to safely resolve his predicament.

"That's a bad word."

Arthur snaps up his head to find Tris standing at the door, a small plush bunny tucked into the crook of her elbow, a smile tugs at his mouth, always happy to see his daughter.

"Heya sweetheart." He sits, up, opening his arms wide and she quickly runs into them, letting him pull her onto his lap.

"Where'd you get this?" he asks fingering the rabbit's soft brown ear and praying to God his daughter hadn't started her life of crime early and had just taken it from somewhere.

"Mary gave it to me." She states, making the rabbit hop up and down her father's arm.

He huffs a laugh at the gesture, relieved that the toy was a gift. It was still confusing him why Mary was being so kind to Tris yet so standoffish with you and him. Every time he spoke with his daughter, he heard of the stories she told her, or the games they'd played, Tris excitedly repeating her day to him yet he however had not seen Mary since their little argument. He was relieved that Mary had taken so kindly to her but something was gnawing at him and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"That's Miss Gilles, it's not polite to call her Mary." He corrects, knowing that you'd kill him if he let Tris's manners slip.

"Actually, it's Ms. Linton, but she told me that I can call her Mary." His daughter corrects and he chuckles at her cheekiness, she definitely got that from you.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetpea?"

Tris fiddles with the bunny nervously, twisting its ear between her fingers. "Are you going to leave me and momma?"

He frowns, shocked and confused as to where that question could possibly have come from. He leans back, studying her face, worrying that she had somehow overheard his and your conversation yesterday.

"What makes you say that?" he places a warm hand behind her neck an act he had done since she was a baby, finding it would usually calm her down.

"Well, Mary said..." she stares fixedly at the rabbit, tightening her grip.

"What did Mary say..." he grits his teeth tight, biting back the anger that instantly began to rise.

"She said that you and her were supposed to get married. Just like you and Momma did. But she said that you left her, and she said that you were going to do the same to Momma."

Tris continues to stare at the toy, she misses the way Arthur's jaw ticks, his teeth grinding together angrily.

What was Mary playing at!?

First, she withdraws her offer to help, then she asks him to leave, and now she was filling his daughter's head with lies.

"Sweetpea look at me." He sighs, calming himself enough to address the issue softly and as not to scare her.