Bad Beginnings (A RDR2 Fanfic)

First-Name Basis

Arthur had been staying with Dutch and Hosea for days now. Dutch seemed quite taken with Arthur, but Hosea, not so much.

They allowed Arthur to stay at their camp with them. It was a pretty good deal, saying that the men had guns, which meant protection.

However, in the dead of night, when they think Arthur's asleep, they argue. Specifically, they argue about him.

To say he's used to it, would be a lie. Every time he hears them, his heart pounds and his lungs struggle to take in air. He would, eventually, fall asleep, however.

One night it was real bad. They were louder than ever, and they were arguing about what to do with him.

"What if he tells the police about where we are, Dutch? We're wanted men!" Hosea cried out.

"He ain't gonna do that," Dutch replied, louder. "Why would he?!"

"Because that's how kids are! You know that when we leave again, we're just gonna have to kill him!"

Arthur's heart pounded harder. This was terrible. He didn't think Hosea and Dutch would kill him, but what he heard the previous nights about them being outlaws, thieves, and murderers, caused him to worry. Because if they did want to kill him, they'd know exactly how.

Arthur's lungs took in shallower and shallower breaths as he overthought about what his fate would be with these men and his fate in the past.

In an act of self-preservation, he yelled out to them, "Couldya please stop arguing? I'm tryna sleep!"

Dutch and Hosea went silent. Before he knew it, he was getting dragged out of his tent by a narrow hand wrapped around his ankle. Hosea.

"Mr. Matthews, what the hell are ya-,"

He was interrupted by Hosea hitting him hard across the face. "Why the hell were you eavesdropping on us, boy!" he yelled at Arthur.

Arthur went silent. He could not cry again in front of these people. Dutch was looking at Hosea in shock, while Hosea was closer to Arthur's face with pure anger. This surely wasn't entirely Arthur's fault.

Arthur paused, trying to keep the tears at bay and collect himself. His voice cracked anyway when he said, "I-I'm sorry for eavesdropping, Mr. Matthews and Mr. Van der Linde."

"Fucking hell, Hosea," Dutch sighed, lifting Arthur to his feet and dusting off the boy's back. "He's a wreck."

"He's a sneak, Dutch," Hosea replied. "He's been eavesdropping on conversations he shouldn't have been hearin'."

Before he could stop himself, Arthur replied, "Well it's kinda hard not to eavesdrop when you're screamin' at each other, sir."

Dutch and Hosea seemed to be at a loss for words, for Arthur hardly ever talked back. Dutch let out a booming laugh, clapping Arthur on the back.

"You're real funny, kid. I like you," Dutch laughed.

Hosea sighed before going to his tent for bed.

Dutch grabbed Arthur by the shoulders, forcing the boy to look at him. Arthur hardly looked people in the eyes, so he was a bit freaked out.

"You're a good kid, Mr. Morgan," Dutch said, looking down at the quivering boy.

"Thank you, Mr. Van der Linde," Arthur replied, still managing to quiver like a damn leaf.

"If you want, you can just call me Dutch," Dutch replied with a smile.

Arthur attempted to return said smile. "Thank you, sir."

Dutch finally released him. Giving Arthur one last pat on the back, he said, "Good night, son."

"Good night, Dutch," Arthur said, quietly, before retiring to his tent for bed.

He turned into his side, and fell asleep to the sound of the crickets and the owls. His father still chased him in his dreams, but Dutch was there, too.

Arthur was very happy to be on a first-name basis.