//BEARING ARMS//RDR2//ARTHUR x READER

Chapter One

The day felt warm and dry, the sky looked clear and blue, and the sound of treading horse hooves on dirt roads filled the air. The Van der Linde Gang was going about their early evening with ease. They needed a load-off, and so they decided to head to the Valentine Saloon after the rough couple of past days.

"Are you sure, it's alright with us headin' down to drink?" Called Arthur. He did enjoy himself a few beers and good whiskey, but he knew his weaknesses. Once he started drinking, it was hard to stop with just one glass.

"Hey, Arthur, if you can't handle having a few drinks- by all means- you can walk right on out," said Javier as they all began hitching their horses.

"Pfft, sure. We'll see if that happens," scoffed Arthur. The man just wanted to walk through those doors already, get on with his 'day off' from robbing and carrying out errands.

Lenny tipped his hat and let out a snicker, "Y'all two will be out like a light after the first round of liquor."

The Mexican rolled his eyes, "I don't know about that, my friend, but we shall have to have a glass to find out." The three of them walked in and surveyed the open room.

The saloon was full of men and women, flirting and dancing, sitting, and gambling; it was lively. All sorts of characters and personalities were present. "How's 'bout three beers," said Arthur while tossing a few coins at the bar tender.

"Alright, you got it, mister."

The men grabbed their beverages, turned around to face the crowd as they leaned on the counter behind them.

Lenny took a swig, "Wooh, yeah, I'm ready just to finally have a good time." Javier and Arthur agreed in a toast, clacking their bottles before taking another big drink.

Arthur said, "so many people here, just doing their thing, livin' life. Hell, this probably just an everyday occurrence to these folks."

"Must be nice not having to move around town to town so much," shared Lenny.

Another swig.

Followed by another.

And another.

* * *

Two hours past five, and Javier was trying to smooth talk a lady he had just met, and Lenny was sharing the dance floor with one woman after another. As for Arthur, he just lazily propped himself beside the bar's counter, listening to the pianist play his song. The man was pretty out of it, but he was not getting himself into any trouble like last time him and Lenny did.

The music played and the people's chatter kept the room alive. Then, the doors crept open. An older man and woman along with a younger lady walked in. Arthur was in a daze, but that lady- she made him take a double check. She was gorgeous, and that was that. He knew it was not the alcohol in his system. He just stood there, gob smacked, staring across from the room as the three strangers got their drinks.

"You fancy yourself that pretty woman right there?" Asked the drunkard beside Arthur.

He snapped out of his trance, "Oh, erm, nah. All this drinking's making my head spin." Arthur did not mean to look so obvious while he quite obliviously stared.

The drinking man's breath wreaked of alcohol, "Well then, son, take advantage of that head spinnin'. Go on and say somethin' to that girl. If not now, then not never, you hear?"

Arthur shook his head slowly, "Aw, you don't know what you're sayin'. I mean, look it."

He nudged his head at the elegant woman, who donned a lavender dress with ruffles and patterns. Her hair was neatly tied into a braided bun with a few small flower buds added on her hat that sat upon her head. She had even worn clean, white gloves to cover her delicate hands. And the elder man and woman she was acquainted with, clearly they were of higher class.

"Me and a woman as refined as her- it just don't work out. I already know it," Arthur concluded. He already had a heart break with a woman named Mary Linton. He could predict how this mystery woman and him would fair if they gave the chance.

The drunk stranger scrunched his face at Arthur's words, "Well, you can take a horse to the water, but you can't make 'em drink, I suppose." He drank some more, "Hmm, guess even beer won't help none either." He slowly passed out with a thud to the ground, drowned out by the music and laughter of the saloon.

Arthur ignored the man's advice. 'Crazy ol' fool,' he thought, 'don't know anythin' he's been talkin' 'bout, I bet.' He stared on, that is until the lady in lavender turned his way. She could feel someone's intense stare from somewhere around the room, leading her eyes to meet with Arthur's gaze.

His eyes opened and he straightened out his posture, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, trying to come up with the words to explain himself, even though, she would not be able to hear them. Instead, she faintly smiled and gave a light wave. She noticed him and she did not mind him.

Arthur stumbled a little and spilled his drink on a man who was requesting a song from the pianist. He was not happy at all. The lady gasped and covered her mouth with her concealed, gloved hand. The music stopped and the room turned to murmurs.

"Look what you did!" Yelled the mad man as he threw a punch at Arthur who luckily evaded his blow. The room roared and the chaos began. Bottles and glasses began to shatter, and tables were flipped. Soon, Arthur's knuckles were bloodied and only a few were left conscious in the saloon.

"Lenny, Arthur, let's start leaving- now," Javier said.

Arthur hesitated and looked around the room before exiting. The pretty lady and the elder couple were nowhere in sight. He wondered if he really had missed his chance.