Under The Eyes of The Wolf (an rdr2 Arthur Morgan x oc story)

27-Home Is Where Your Cowboy Is

The following morning K woke up in her and Arthur's shared double cot with Arthur's arm wrapped around her middle, holding her close like always. She turned to face him to find him lying there awake smiling at her.

"Hey you. Good morning handsome." She greeted him.

"Good mornin' beautiful." He said softly.

"Mmm...how long you been awake just lookin' at me, creepy?" She joked with him.

He smiled back at her, brushing the hair out of her face with his fingers.

"I didn't sleep much. All I kept thinkin' about was what if after we go see yer uncle, he's able to change yer mind and convince you that you can't stay here..." his voice hitched, his blue eyes were bloodshot and glassed over... "and you decide it's best fer you to go back to yer family, back where you probably belong and as much as I'd want to keep you here with me and not let you leave, that I'd have to accept that I have no right to do so and just...let you go." He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Holding her hand he rubbed his thumb across her knuckles back and forth, his other hand held her face.

K looked into his blue, bloodshot eyes and her heart melted. This hardened, rough, tough outlaw that's taken more lives, broken more laws and lived for so long being the backbone to this whole gang without ever really having anyone there to take care of him and look after him, laying here before her fighting back his emotions at the thought of losing her. She knew right then that there was nothing anybody could ever say that would ever make her leave him. She loved him and she wouldn't abandon him for anything. The only way she'd ever return with her uncle would be if Arthur could go with them. A single tear fell from her silver grey eyes, running down onto her pillow. She placed her hand over Arthur's hand that held her face.

He pulled her in close to him. "No, please baby girl, don't. Please don't cry. How am I supposed to keep it together if you start to cry? Please." He begged her quietly.

She held him as tight as she could, burying her face into his strong chest. "Arthur, I won't leave you. I promise. I can't leave you. Not ever.....I love you Arthur." She breathed into him.

Arthur froze at those words before pulling back to look her in the eyes with his hands on either side of her face. "What did you just say?"

"I said I'm not going anywhere, because I love you." She said, looking deep into his eyes.

Arthur pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you too darlin'. I love you and I can't lose you. I won't let you go." He professed to her.

They lay there holding each other and enjoying the moment, allowing their revelations to sink in.

"We should probably get up and head out before anyone gets a chance to send me off on some foolish errand." Arthur suggests.

"Yeah, good point." She agreed. He placed one gentle , loving kiss on her soft lips before letting her out of his hold then the two proceeded to dress and buckle on their various holsters and weapons before quietly exiting their shared tent.

"I'm gonna go start gettin' the horses ready, can you grab me a cup a coffee darlin'?" He asked of her, keeping his voice down.

"Sure."

After preparing and pouring a cup of coffee as well as grabbing a couple of rolls and some cheese for the two of them she joined Arthur at the hitching post. He gratefully accepted the cup and allowed K to take over for a moment while he drank the hot beverage.

"Why don't you ever drink any coffee?" He asked her curiously.

"I just never cared for the stuff." She answered casually.