Legends of The Wild, Wild West (Arthur Morgan x John Marston)

A better life

After a much needed bath, Arthur and John got dressed and went to the room they rented.
John immediately threw his tired and fatigued body on the bed, waiting for Arthur to join him, but Arthur instead sat on the chair nearthe bed without saying a word.

The talk they had earlier gave him a lot to think about, and he was already drowning in thought.

"You coming?" John asks, after a few minutes of silence.
"Sure."
Arthur then lies down next to John, but doesn't do anything, which made John feel weird.
"What's wrong?" The brunette asked, to which Arthur sighed "nothing."
John then sat up and looked at his man.

Arthur sighed again, "fine. I've been thinking..."
"Yeah?"
"Wouldn't you want out of this gang?"
"And do what?"
Arthur got up and sat facing John, "anything you like."
John narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, "okay...?"
"John. I'm saying, let's leave. Leave this gang. Leave this whole life."
"Wait, you were serious about that talk in the bathtub?" John asked in concern.
"Yes. I was dead serious. Let's leave, John." Arthur said, staring John in his brown eyes that looked terrified of the idea.
"But.. Arthur, I got a son..."
"We'll take Jack and his mother with us. They both deserve better lives."
"Okay, I'm with you on that. But what about Dutch?"
"I'll talk to him. See if we can buy our way out of the gang."
"Arthur, we both know he will never let that happen. You're like a son to him."
"Which is why he is going to have to let us go."
"Let YOU go..." John raises an eyebrow, "as far as he's concerned, I got caught by the Pinkertons and you couldn't get to me in time."

Arthur eyes widen in astonishment, "John Marston, you smart son of a bitch." He exclaims.
"Haha, yep. So, you go back and you tell him that by the time you got to Van Horn, they'd already sent my ass to the penitentiary." He then looks down, "And judging by the way he let me get caught, I don't think he'll send anyone to retrieve me..." He says in disappointment.
John then holds Arthur's hands, "thank you for comin' back for me, Arthur. I really appreciate it."
"Of course, John. I think you should lay low here in this hotel until I figure out our next move."
John sighed, "yeah... but you'll come visit, though, right?"
"Of course." Arthur replied, planting a kiss on John's forehead.
"Okay. I think you should leave now and go back to them so it wouldn't seem suspicious." John advised, before yawning.
"I'll leave in a bit."
John then took off his top and shoes, and laid down next to Arthur.

Arthur lit a cigarette and watched as John was starting to fall asleep.
He's been up since he rescued him from that rusty prison stagecoach.
John looked peaceful and beautiful in his sleep.
Arthur sat up resting his chin on his hand, and admired his lover.

His wet dark hair was tied in a bun.
His abs were defined and toned, despite him not being the most active man in camp.
He only had a couple scars on his chest, because of the wolves incident, but other than that, he was perfect. He was truly the Golden Boy of the bunch, and Arthur felt so lucky to be his.

Arthur's cigarette has fully burned out, so he put it out, and took out his journal and started sketching something.
After a few minutes, he closed his journal and gave the sleeping John a soft kiss on the nape of his neck and whispered,
"I love you, John." before grabbing his hat and leaving.