Sweetest Sin (Dutch Van Der Linde Fanfic)

♤ 25. ♤

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—At night

After getting some food, Tifa went back up to her room with Arthur and John looking on at her, he turned to John who sighed

"She looks so miserable, man" he said and Arthur nodded to him

"Sure..." he answered as he rubbed his chin with his thumb, John looked down at the floor boards

"Between you and me, I don't think Dutch is coming back"

"I don't think he is either...but the more days that go by the more she ain't gonna be herself, what happened with Dutch hit her hard, Tifa was so sure, she could save him, but she didn't realize until it was too late, he was just as rotten as he always was and she got hurt for it"

John tightened his fists "I know...but she is still fighting on"

Arthur looked at him "yeah she is,...and I offered to take care of the baby with her"

John looked at him shocked, Nora who was laying on the bed in the other room opened her eyes when he said that and silently listened

"Really?...what'd she say to that?" John asked

"She didn't want to burden me, but I said it ain't, cause I love her...least I can do is be around her..."

John looked at him and nodded in understanding, Nora smiled tearfully at what Arthur said

"Wow, well you're a good man...Thank you Arthur, really, as her brother...I'll always be there for her and so will Nora and obviously you but I think you'd be a great father...if Dutch doesn't come back"

Arthur looked at John "Sure...but I know where that girl's heart belongs..."

John looked down "She may learn to love you more than a friend, you never know...provided if, you know..."

Arthur didn't even start thinking on chance what if's...the important thing to him right now was keeping Tifa, her baby and Nora safe

"well I'm gonna go check on her then take the first watch"

"Alright, night" John said as he leaned back into the couch and put his legs up on the arms of it and relaxed as Arthur went up the stairs

-

Tifa had changed into a white sleep gown and looked for her brush in her bag, when a knock came from the door and with a soft come in from Tifa, Arthur entered just as she found the brush and they both glanced quietly at each other

"Arthur" she murmured softly, he greeted her with a nod then spoke

"Hey, oh, I'm sorry I just came to check on you"

"It's-it's alright...but Thanks..." Tifa said "Stay for a bit..."  Arthur looked at her for a few moments before closing the door behind him with Tifa breaking eye contact and started to brush her long dark brown hair, even just staring at her back, she was still beautiful, he smiled slightly at her but it disappeared when she turned around to give him a shy smile

"Is Nora okay?" She asked walking back to her bag and placed her brush inside it, Arthur approached her with his hands making their way to hang on his holster belt

"She's just fine, she was the first to sleep though"

Tifa nodded "that's okay, I'm glad John and Abigail looked after her" she said as she sat down on the bed, Arthur sat down on the bed sideways from her and glanced down at the floor boards "Me too" he said letting out a few soft coughs, Tifa looked at him and then her bag, she opened up a small pouch, in it was Esuna, she given it to him before but this one was the last for his treatment, she smiled and drifted the bottle to him