The wild, wild West (Arthur Morgan x f!Reader)

CHAPTER 53 - No time to rest

Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

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We arrived late at night. The first sign of the camp was the light of a lone lantern shimmering through the trees. The closer we got, the better I could see who was holding it. It was John, leaned against a tree, his eyes scanning the forest lazily. He yawned.

Arthur leaned back and slowed Gin with a quiet „Woah!", before he called out: „Marston!".

John jumped up, searchin for the one yelling. Then he spotted us approaching and his stance relaxed. „I thought you had gotten lost.", he greeted us when we came to a halt in front of him.

„Almost.", I huffed. „If it hadn't been for you tellin' Arthur about the thing with the Arabian, this would have ended quite ugly."

„I'll take that as a thank you.", John grinned.

I nodded. „It is. I owe you."

„I'll keep that in mind."

We steered our horses into the camp and dismounted. Without the light from Johns lantern, the surroundings were tinged in darkness. Only the thinning moon lit our path. My experienced fingers opened the buckles of Smiths bridle and saddle without problems, even though I couldn't see anything. Arthur had a much harder time with it. He cursed unter his breath when his fingers slipped off another small buckle, unable to loosen the strap it was holding in place.

I stepped next to him and offered: „You need help with that?"

„Wouldn't mind it.", he muttered and surpressed a yawn.

Carefully, I rested my hand against his to move his fingers aside while I stepped a little closer, until my back grazed his broad chest. His heartbeat vibrated trough his body, I felt it through my clothes. The sudden urge to press up against him surged through me.

I furrowed my brows and bit my lip, forced myself to focus on the task at hand. With one smooth motion, I opened the buckle and slipped the bridle off. Once Arthurs mare was freed from her tack, she lowered her head and started grazing. Slowly, she joined the other horses a few meters away.

I turned around to face Arthur and took a step back when I realized how close we were standing. „I think you need some sleep, pretty boy.", I hummed and cleared my throat.

„Yeah, I think I do.", he rasped. His eyes lingered on my face for a moment longer, a small smile playing around the corners of his mouth. „'S good to have you back."

„Thank you for bringing me back." I looked up at him. „Even though I've been a complete fool. Thanks for everything."

He looked like he was about to say something, his lips parted slightly, but then he closed them again, deciding against it. Instead, his smile widened a little. „Good night, (Y/n)."

„Good night, pretty boy."

I left with a warm feeling in my chest. What a nice smile he had...

A good nights sleep did wonders for Arthur mood. He woke up fairly early, around 10 a.m., ready for another day of hard work. Only this time, he would be in pleasant company.

However, his plans and good mood changed drastically when Micah waved him over. For a moment, Arthur considered to act as if he hadn't seen him, but then his dutiful nature took over and he stopped in front of the man.

„Micah?"

With a wide grin, Micah spread his arms, not bothering to rise from the stack of boxes he was sitting on to greet the other outlaw. „Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called..."