Bad Blood // Micah Bell (Red Dead Redemption 2 Story)

16 - Pinkertons

It was no surprise to Micah that Natasha had ignored him for the rest of that week.

He felt as though he had scared her off from his intense staring and his intense telling off for catching her burning herself but then again, he had been lying to her too. First the letter and then about his knowing about her past with the O'Driscolls. When he had overheard what she was telling Sadie, a sense of rage bubbled up inside of him.

He was not a good man and he knew that. He had killed and assaulted women before, fewer now since he joined the gang but it didn't sit right with him for however long after. He would usually sulk about his behaviour, blaming it on his anger and drink which was not an excuse. But, upon hearing Natasha's tale, he wanted to annihilate every O'Driscoll there was. Sure, he felt pretty bad for Sadie when himself, Dutch and Arthur had found her, locked away in the basement and all traumatised but he fund himself caring for Natasha and he hated it.

He hated seeing her sat by herself, not getting any recognition from the gang that she deserved. He hated when Strauss had kicked off at her and more importantly, he hated the lies he had told her, he hated the fact she wasn't a pure white American like himself and that he was actually fond of her. Most of all, he hated the exchange of looks that herself and Charles shared.

He didn't know if anything was going on between them, it wasn't his business but a part of him longed for it to be about him.

He wasn't even sure if he liked the girl. Sure, he found her attractive more and more as the days went on the more they got to know one another. Did he like her because she was the only female of the camp who showed him some sort of human interaction? Was it because she partly helped with him being rescued when he was locked away in Strawberry?

His thoughts were interrupted as Bill sat across from him on one of the camp tables, his long brown leather coat dragging behind him as he sat down with a heavy grunt. He leaned on his forearm, a bottle of whisky in his other hand and tipped his hat up to take a closer look at the blonde outlaw.

"What's gotten into you?"

Micah arched his eyebrow at the clearly drunken man, already agitated by him.

"What you talkin' about Williamson?"

"You've changed. You're bein' more quiet than usual." Bill answered, taking a swig from the brown bottle, burping as he swallowed the liquor in the process.

"Don't know what you're talking about." Micah grunted in response, pulling out his knife and playing with it casually.

"Sure as shit you do. Don't think we don't know what you're thinkin' about. She's a very hypnotising lady." Bill smirked, waggling his eyebrows at Micah who looked up, a grimace on his face at the fact he was being teased by none other than Bill Williamson.

"Who?" Micah asked blindly.

"Miss Fiore. We've seen you act soft around her."

"Shut up Bill. She ain't that interesting and ain't my type." Micah snarls bitterly, praying that he isn't coming across as weak to the other members of the camp. Last thing he wanted was his reputation to be ruined by some girl.

Bill leans back on his seat, scowling slightly and shaking his head. "You're makin' a big mistake there then. All the men here think she is a sweet thing, got to make your move before Charles, Javier, Arthur or even me sweeps her off her feet."

Micah waves him off, not wanting to talk anymore to the drunken buffoon which only caused him to roar into laughter, hitting his knee as he stands and waddles away from Micah.

With a heavy sigh, Micah stands up, stretching out his arms and resting them on his hips, leaning back slightly to crack at his back and as he turned, he frowned when he saw Arthur, Jack and Natasha ride into camp, a concerned look on both of the adults faces.