An Unfortunate Face (Arthur Morgan x Reader)

(8.) Eastward Expansion

"This is a case...of mistaken identity," Dutch spoke, walking slowly out of the saloon with his hands up.

You and Arthur followed him, hands in the air as well. You glanced at Arthur, keeping your body straight. His face was concentrated, so you watched John and Strauss intently.

"You get Strauss, I take John," he whispered, barely moving his mouth. His hand moved slowly and then all at once, and yours did too.

The men around Strauss and John fell immediately and you were shooting up the place.

You got behind a barrel and fired round after round. Cornwall's men were still coming, but against you, Dutch, and John, they were no match.

"Strauss!" yelled John, and you turned to look. "He's been shot!"

"I got him!" you yelled, running with your head down, staying behind cover as much as possible.

Bullets flew next to you, whistling through the air. You grabbed onto Strauss and pulled him behind a wagon, using it as a shield.

"I think you'll live," you panted, slinging him into the wagon as gently as you could. He was heavy, but you did your best.

John fired a few more shots before joining you by the wagon, helping you push it out of the line of fire.

Arthur and Dutch kept the lawmen at bay while you moved the wagon away. It only took a few more pushes until it was safe to put him on John's horse.

"John!" I yelled over the gunshots, "Get 'im on your horse!"

He nodded and carried him with ease. Old Boy, John's horse, whinnied and reared.

"It's okay, 's okay, shhh..." you said, trying to calm him down.

Eventually John managed to mount up and keep Strauss from falling off. They left, and it was only you, Dutch, and Arthur.

You whistled for your horse who came to you immediately, sprinting through the mud.

"Here, h/n!" you shouted, mounting them. You fired again and again until Arthur and Dutch could make a clean escape. Lawmen were coming in waves, but not quickly enough to hold you down.

"Y/n, go! We can handle it!"

"You need to warn the others, Dutch! I'll cover you, hurry!"

Dutch and Arthur mounted their horses and you followed close behind them, shooting at the lawmen. It bothered you how quickly you had turned on them, having once done their bidding.

A bullet whizzed past you and you ducked, firing again until the last lawman was gone. You were far from Valentine now.

"We're moving camp, now!" yelled Dutch. You nodded and looked to Arthur, who, as usual, had a blank expression on his face.

As Horseshoe Overlook came into view, your heart raced. It was getting clearer to you that this retirement plan was going to take a little longer than you expected. It wasn't the worst scenario, but it definitely wasn't the best. 

"Y/n, when we get there, check on Strauss, please? And help Miss Grimshaw pack up camp."

"Sure, Dutch," you nodded.

"Arthur, you and Charles need to scope out a place for us to camp. Micah said there was a good spot called Dewberry Creek, so check there first."

Arthur agreed, and you trotted up the trail to camp.

Everyone was already in a rush getting things packed up and put into wagons.

You dismounted your horse first and packed up your belongings. Most of your stuff was on your horse anyways, but your tent and cot needed to be put into a wagon.