Doing something so deeply intimate with Arthur all but made Hugh rethink his life. It was something he's been missing, true physical passion. He never would've thought that Arthur of all people would be the one to awake this idea in him. This idea that there's actually some good in this world.
They've always been at each other's throats, but all it took was a breakup and some whiskey and they went at it like they were born to do it. It was like they were fulfilling some ancient prophecy. And it was beautiful.
"What do we do now?" Arthur asked as Hugh pulled his trousers back on.
"I don't know. What does this mean to you?" Hugh buckled his suspenders as Arthur pondered the question.
"I like you. At least I think I do." Arthur's confused, this idea of being sweet on another fella is certainly a new one. And on some level, it terrifies him. But he also knows that being with Hugh feels good. Feels right.
"I have a thing for you too," Hugh said,
"Do we have to put a label on it?"
"I guess not, just don't want things to be awkward." Hugh started stuffing things into his gun belt,
"They don't have to be."
"We should head back, everyone's worried that you were missing." Hugh slung his satchel over his shoulder as Arthur stumbled to his feet as well.
The walk back wasn't long. It was actually pretty quick.
"Arthur! What were you thinking disappearing like that!" Hosea shouted,
"Sorry. I needed a moment." Arthur said,
"We'll get over it, we need you and Hugh in the living room.
"Alright." Arthur and Hughie followed Hosea inside, they then found Dutch hunched over a map on the dining room table along with a few pencils and guns. This is the setup for a robbery if Hugh's ever seen one.
They always plan robberies like this, lots of layout and detailed ideas of the best places to hide and the best escape routes. Often the idea is the same. But in some cases they have to use alternative strategies for the bigger grabs.
"So what we robbin' now?" Arthur scoffed, and Hosea mumbled to himself as he ran his finger across the paper. Some sort of layout of a town.
"Bank. The old farm town down west." Dutch said,
"Is it even worth the trouble?" Hugh asked,
"It's harvesting season. All those crops are gettin' turned into some real cash. Trust me the place should be loaded with money."
"Alright then what's the plan?"
Hosea always made the plans, he always found the places too. Dutch would sit in his ear and mumble thoughts while panning things out, often Hosea would ignore the inane dribble that would spew out of Dutch's mouth, but sometimes he'd actually listen.
John and Ron suddenly appeared, everyone now gathered around the table as Hosea explained his plan.
"We'll go in nice and quiet. Dutch you'll stand guard here-" Hosea pointed to the map of the bank, "Arthur you'll crack those safes, and Hugh, you and I will make sure everyone's kept in line. We do this right and we should be in and out without a word."
"What about me?" Ron asked,
"I wanna help!" John shouted, jumping up and down.
"We need someone to watch him," Dutch pointed to John who stuck his tongue out angrily.
"Ugh fine." Ron groaned, he's always tasked with watching John.
John has tried to sneak on missions and robberies, and nearly got himself killed once. Ever since then, they can't leave him behind unsupervised, lord knows what kind of bullshit he'd get into alone.
To say John's a rowdy kid would be a wild understatement, he's a full blown psycho. He runs around like an animal, he hates bathing and often is covered in dirt or whatever shit he had on him from his excursions outdoors.
Out of everyone Arthur was the only one John really listened to, which is a shame because Ron was always the one taking care of him.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning. Everyone get some shut-eye tonight. It's gonna be a long day tomorrow." Dutch yawned, Hosea following him into their bedroom.
Hosea and Dutch had a strange relationship, they shared a room with two separate beds. However, the floor was scuffed as if they pushed the beds together occasionally. Bessie died a while back, and Grimshaw hasn't been seen in years- although Dutch says they keep in touch.
They're both single men, they look at each other like they're the only people in the world. Hughie's never been able to label just what they are to one another.
Hughie laid down, he and Ron across the room from one another. The twins shared a room, Hosea and Dutch shared a room, John slept in the attic- his request, and Arthur had his own room. It was a decent sleeping arrangement. Felt homely the house did. A rundown cottage in the woods sounds terrible but it's pretty nice actually. Few fires going and it's nice and cozy.
"How do you feel about this robbery?" Ron asked as he pulled up his blanket.
"Good enough, you?" Hugh asked,
"I dunno. Just seems like the usual. Nothin' special." This heist was just like the others, run in, make a scene, steal money, run away from the law, and never set foot in the town again.
"Do you want it to be special?" Hugh inquired,
"No, It's just... don't you ever get tired of it?" Ron sat up, looking out the window at the stars in the night sky.
"Tired of what?" Hugh sat up too, mirroring his brother with confusion.
"The robbin', the murderin', the gunfire."
There's a pause, and Hugh sits with the idea for a moment. He should be hesitant about such things. Death and robbery, but he can't find it in himself to care much about any of those things.
"No not really." He says, Ron scoffs.
"You're such a bastard," Ron growls, he expected that answer from Hugh, he always has been ruthless.
"Yeah," Hugh mumbled,
"You killed so many innocent people. And you still do."
"Nobody's innocent. And I did it to survive."
Hughie's never killed anyone for enjoyment, he's never shot a fella for fun. He kills when he needs to, he'll do whatever it takes for his family. Even if he needs to kill. He'll do it.
"Keep tellin' yourself that," Ron mumbled,
"I did what I did to save you. To keep us alive." Hugh was beginning to raise his voice when he calmed himself, realizing this was a talk they needed to have.
"It wasn't worth it." Ron said,
"You're my brother. I'd do it all. Over. Again."
"I know... I just... I don't think I can ever forgive you for that."
"That's okay." Ron doesn't need to forgive him, if the way he kept them safe means that Ron hates him. But that he's alive, Hugh can live with that.
"But I wanna try."
YOU ARE READING
Every Last One Of Them - Red Dead Redemption II
FanficIn 1887, Arthur Morgan is forced to break off an engagement with whom he thought was the love of his life, due to his loyalty to his gang and his outlawed way of life. He and his father's Dutch Van Der Linde, and Hosea Matthews; Along with the other...
