Ghosts of the Past [ RDR2 - Arthur Morgan ]

Chapter 33 - Don't talk

Work count - 2000
Please vote and comment!

Chapter 33 - Don't talk.

Arthur's quick departure from camp with Lenny almost immediately after Rosemary's arrival weighed heavily on her mind. Had she done something wrong? Hadn't she been good? After all, she hardly had any experience in the realms of what they did the night before. Arthur had seemed confused about the scar on her ribs - had she not lived up to his expectations built through the ten years separation?

Then again he had been some loving in the moments after. Barely wanting to be separated by any degree. Holding her in his bed, giving no consideration to her return to her own wagon.

Doubt stirred like smoke in a cold room, curling into every corner of her mind, impossible to chase away. Sat up against the cold wooden wall of her wagon, Rosemary attempted to distract herself with books instead, yet the words seemed to all spell A-R-T-H-U-R.

With a huff and a sigh she stood tossing the book onto the bed and began pulling open drawers out and aimlessly re-arranging items.

Yet as she did, there was a knock at the back door of the wagon "You alright in there?" Arthur's gruff voice called through. He must have noticed the drawers shifting around a lot..

"Fine." Rose replied as believably as possible

A moment passed. "D'You mind if I come in?" Yet the door was already opening as Arthur stepped into the lantern lit room of the wagon. "Sure you're okay? You seem a little..."

Rose closed a drawer with a soft thunk, and leaned her head against the apothecary wall, looking at Arthur as she did. "What happened this morning?" She asked quietly. Never one to let sleeping dogs lie.

Arthur's habit of dodging hard conversations returned in full force-like when he first saw Rosemary again all those years ago and chose to run out of the saloon. Or when he went to the house to say goodbye the first time he didn't even speak a word. "I had to go." Arthur stated simply, scrubbing a hand down the stubble of his cheek.

Her eyes seemed to see all as she stared into his. "I know that. But it ain't what I asked."

Glancing down to the book on her bed, Arthur took a shallow breath unable to meet her eyes.. "It was just business."

Her lips pressed together. She could hear the way he said it-like he was giving her just enough to drop the subject. Rose exhaled slowly through her nose. "You were fine when we woke up," she said, watching him. "Then you saw that letter, and suddenly, you weren't."

"Weren't nothing important." He replied simply, a hand resting on his belt buckle almost like his own form of protection against this conversation

Rose lifted a brow. "You always get that look on your face for nothin'?"

Arthur sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Rose..."

"You don't have to tell me," she said, cutting him off, voice calm but firm. "But don't lie to me, Arthur."

Arthur stilled. His eyes flicked to hers, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke. She wasn't pushing, not really-but she wasn't backing down either. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. "It ain't nothin' you need to worry about."

Rose let out a breath, something unreadable passing behind her eyes. "If you say so."

Frowning, he knew what she really meant: Fine. 'You won't say it. But I know there's something'. Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.