The Wanted Daughter (The Devil All The Time Fanfic: Arvin Russell x Reader)

Backstories

"Hi." Arvin said nervously greeted, taking his cap off.

"Hey, you're right on time." Y/n replied, walking towards him.

"Only the best for you." He offered his arm, and she held it gently as they exited the bar, and started to walk down the dusty streets of Coal Creek .

They both talked about everything and nothing together, laughing and smiling like they had never done before. But then, a little way into the walk, things got serious...

"So... tell me, Arvin. Where abouts do ya live around here?" Y/n asked, making light conversation.

"Not too far from the church, just down the road. I live with my Grandma, my Uncle and my stepsister."

"...I'm worried to ask considerin' who ya live with... but-"

"Where are my parents?" Arvin cut her off with a worryingly soft tone.

"Yeah..." She said cautiously. "Ya don't have to tell me, I can see its a sensitive subject."

"No... its okay." Normally, Arvin would avoid the subject of his childhood as a whole, but with Y/n... he felt he could trust her.

"My childhood wasn't exactly an easy one... it was until I was nine. My Mama got cancer not long after my birthday... and my Daddy thought if we prayed hard enough, God would get rid of it and we could live a happy life..."

"...am I right to assume that... she..." Y/n didn't want to finish her sentence, but got a nod from him saying that she is right to assume.

"Not long before she died, after the doctors told us they couldn't do anythin', my dad went... crazy..." Arvin breathed the last word. "He... he killed our dog... thinkin' that God would take the dogs life and spare my mother... it didn't work."

"Are ya sure about tellin' me all this? Arvin, ya barely know me-"

"I don't care. I've wanted to talk to someone about this since it happened... and my heart is tellin' me that I can talk to you about it."

The girl looked into his eyes, and saw the genuine trust and... love, in his eyes. She melted momentarily...

"...okay. Keep goin'."

"The day of her burial... later that night... I went out to the prayer log we go to everyday... and I see my Dad had stabbed himself... I see my Daddy dead on the floor." Arvin's voice wavered, and Y/n quickly spotted a place to sit down, a bench on the side of the path.

"Come on, lets sit down." She took his hand and they sat down, Y/n not letting go of his hand.

"I-I'm real sorry about all this. You must think I'm one of those men that-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, mister. I'm not the one to judge people from first meetin'." Y/n reassured. "Ya just sound like one of those people that has had a lot of trauma, that's all... but your past doesn't define ya y' 'ear me?"

Arvin just looked at her...

"Yes ma'am."

"Good... and I'll tell ya one thing. You're not the only one that's had a tough childhood..." Y/n looked down at her lap, letting go of Arvin's hand. Seeing this, the boy looks up at the girl and sees a sunken face.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"I mean... its not as traumatic as yours-"

"That doesn't matter." He took her hand in his, not liking the loss of warmth. "Tell me, sweetheart." The nickname came out of nowhere, but neither were complaining.