𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗬 ➳ 𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟮

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏.

TW: little bit of self harm.

Eleanor woke up the next morning with an aching headache. Groaning, she sat up slowly as she gained consciousness. Empty bottles of liquor were littered around, the three men also passed out. Everything came back to her, what a better way to bond with strangers over some bottles of alcohol? After she explained everything, she offered drinks. After one drink came another and than another and before she knew it they were telling jokes, drunkenly singing and dancing before passing out.

For the first time in a long time she had some fun. For the first time in a long time she actually found herself trusting people. Eleanor couldn't remember the last time she trusted anyone until now, perhaps it went way back to her family. She began to see what Arthur saw in these folk. She understood how they were family to him. 

Eleanor managed to get herself to her feet, stumbling over Arthur's body who grunted in annoyance when she accidently nudged him with a foot. The man however didn't move, he continued to lay there like the rest of them. Eleanor rolled her eyes in annoyance before having a bright idea. She found herself marching over to the bucket of water Arthur had fetched the day before. She grabbed the metal handle and picked it up, placing a hand underneath to support the heavy weight. Eleanor dragged herself over to the men, splashing water on Arthur who sat up in a fury before tossing water over at Charles and John, the two men also waking up in alarm. 

"Get up, the lot of ya!" Eleanor grumbled at them. She tossed the bucket away, the bucket landing on the bank of the creek with a thud before rolling slowly. She placed her hands on her hips, staring at the three men who woke from their drunken slumber. "This isn't your usual camp, no one's here guarding you. Now come on," Eleanor reminded them. The three soaked men groaned in annoyance, John rubbing his weary eyes as Arthur managed to get to his feet. 

"Last I remember is that you gave us those bottles," Arthur pointed out before yawing. Eleanor scoffed at the man.

"Oh shut up. It was fun but the fun's over," Eleanor smirked before walking after the bucket she had tossed. She picked up the bucket and returned it back to camp after it rolled down to the edge of the water. She returned to see both Charles and John were up, Charles frowning down at his soaked clothes. "You lot got to go back and I got to keep avoiding Micah and everyone else out to get me," she reminded them. 

"Can't believe we did that last night when the Law was everywhere," John grunted, feeling disappointed in himself. Charles placed a hand on the scarred-faced man's shoulder, shaking his shoulder slightly.

"Relax, John. That's in the past," Charles tried to ease the man's troubles. John looked at him, with a stern expression.

"But our troubles ain't," John reminded. Charles sighed, patting the man on the shoulder encouragingly. 

"No, no they ain't," he agreed with a sigh. Arthur looked at the two men, frowning at them in disbelief.

"Come on, the both of you! We can handle Micah just fine, he's nothing but a snake. Once he's out of the way Dutch'll be fine again," Arthur sounded confident. Charles and John however looked unsure. Eleanor felt awkward for watching their conversation, she could tell there was more that wanted to be said. This was all her fault. 

"Enough! All of you," Eleanor snapped, growing sick of listening to the men. "I know this shit is my fault. I know for a damn fact that you both don't want to be involved," she looked at Charles and John. "But you are and there's nothing you can do to change it, not now. You three could just hand me over to Dutch and have me killed but you won't because you lot are good men, or as good as can be for who you are," Eleanor looked at the three of them. She felt herself relax after saying her piece. "We're all in this too deep to give up now. Now I ain't sure about you lot but I ain't one for giving up," Eleanor walked around to her chair by the fire before sitting down. "I can handle shit just fine on my own but it'll be a hell of a lot easier with other people by my side."