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

Chapter Six

It was getting dark and colder. (Y/n) stayed inside, cleaning up the place while Arthur was out.

"How long will he be out?" She thought. She hoped he had not ditched her out in the wilderness alone without the proper guidance to survive. (Y/n) did feel like a burden to the man. "Maybe, I ought to check?" She said aloud. The room was nearly cleaned up anyway.

She stepped out of the cabin and took in the sight before her. It was close to pitch black outside. "I'll only go a few steps ahead, just to check, won't be far," (Y/n) clarified. Out she went, one step, two steps, three steps, and a few more. She was at the end out the clearing. What laid in front of her was nothing but thick brush and trees without a path.

She stopped. 'What am I doing?' She thought. (Y/n) could see nothing but hear everything around her. The rustle of grass and twigs, the owls' calls, and even the wolves' howls. 'He's gone. That man's not coming back. It's just me alone here now.'

Just then, as she turned on her heel back around-

Thud!

(Y/n) gave out a small yelp as she came to face a figure.

"Miss Robin- What, what're you doin' out here? I thought I'd told you to stay inside!" Said Arthur. He was clearly surprised to see (Y/n) roaming the front of the cabin at night. It was for her own safety that he ordered her to stay in. He could not imagine what had caused her to leave in the dead of night.

She wrapped her arms around him, further surprising Arthur after his venture out. "Don't take so long next time!" She angrily cried out.

"I-"

"No, come inside." She commanded, tugging him along in her arms. (Y/n) continued, "I thought you had left me out. I thought-"

The two were inside now. Arthur set down his lantern, which was now becoming quite dim. "Left you? Why, I said I'd be right back, didn't I?" He said. He set down his catch: a rabbit and a pouch of berries he had found on his way.

(Y/n) felt stupid. She knew what he said it was just, "I thought you were going to leave me here. I mean, I would not be surprised. I feel like a burden. I don't know what to do or where to go from here."

He let out a heavy sigh, "You're in a tough spot. I get it. But I'm an honest man, for the most part, " he admitted, "so trust me." He walked closer and this time set a hand to lightly pat on top of (Y/n)'s head, "Don't you worry. Let's just make you somethin' to eat, li'l Missy."

(Y/n) puffed out her cheeks, "Why do you insist on calling me that?"

He was already skinning the rabbit, "because that's what you are, a 'little miss', li'l Missy." Arthur wanted to continue the conversation, "and what did you mean back there callin' me 'that strange man'? I ain't that 'strange'," He said.

She did not know how to reply. (Y/n) did not mean to make him feel hurt or offended. She did not know him much then, but now she knew he was turning out to be a very nice man. She stuttered, "I- I, um, I'm sorry, Mr. Morgan! I just-"

He shook his head and laughed, putting the rabbit's pelt aside, "I'm just messin' with you. You make it easy to, ya know?" Did Arthur feel guilty about picking on (Y/n)? Not really, it was very amusing. He knew she could speak for herself and banter back if she wanted, and what he wanted was to see her try.

(Y/n) raised her brows and crossed her arms, "I see you think it funny to poke at me, hm? Well, keep that up and you'll be the one getting stung!"

'There it is,' Arthur thought. "Well," he said as he was now grilling the meat over the fire in the chimney, "I'd like to see you try, but first, you should probably eat somethin'."

Luckily, Arthur had the proper utensils for eating with him since he camps out quite often. The two of them were sitting close to the fire with food on their plates. It was close to quiet, the crackling of fire and clatter of plates and forks hitting.

"I don't know," (Y/n) started, "If I'm just hungry, or this is the best meal I have eaten in my life." She continued to stuff her face, "A five-star chef, Mr. Morgan!"

He gave her a funny look, "Nah, that's your stomach talkin' alright. I ain't no cook." He finished up his food and wiped his mouth with his wrist.

(Y/n) swallowed her food, "You should cook for me now. Be my personal cook, yes?" She was trying to be funny, brighten up the mood. She needed to distract herself from the day's earlier events and, to much of her surprise, Arthur was the perfect distraction.

Arthur could not hide his smile, "Sure, and I suppose you want me to hunt down the meal for ya, too?" In all honesty, he would not mind that idea at all. He had always imagined having one day a normal life. One where he would be finally free from running from the law, away from the killings for money, somewhere he is free, out in the country, surviving off the land and its gifts- a nice woman to spend the rest of his life with would not be an objection either. In fact, a loving wife would go along well with this idea of his.

However, he was far from that dream it seemed. He had his own little family with Dutch and the rest of the gang. Arthur knew his association with (Y/n) was a temporary fixation that would end. Nothing good stayed for long.

"If you insist on catching the food, then why not?" (Y/n) joked, snapping Arthur from his thoughts.

"You're somethin' else," he said, shaking his head, "something must've been in those berries."

She yawned, "perhaps." (Y/n) was beginning to grow tired. Her eyes began to feel heavy as she drifted off to sleep rather quickly.

Arthur looked upon her sleeping face before getting up and lifting (Y/n) to lay her on the old mattress in the room. He retrieved the sleeping bag from his horse to cover her while she dreamed.

"You're a tough lady," he whispered, "you'll do just fine on your own." Arthur turned his head and made his way to the door. He mounted his horse once again, heading back to the camp hideout. He was not expecting to be gone for so long.