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Arthur isn't oblivious to the looks, okay? He knows that O’Driscoll boy has been staring holes into the back of his head (more like ass, that kid is something else) since he hogtied him and chucked him on the back of his horse.
He knows the kid has something of a crush.
Arthur knows what it’s like to be into someone you shouldn't and he gets it. He does. Arthur had a thing for Dutch when he was first picked up that he never wants to speak about and will never admit to, even under threat of death. That doesn't make it any less embarrassing to watch the kid stumble over his words whenever Arthur is nearby.
Especially when half the fucking camp keeps putting him in these situations.
”Look, Kieran, kid, you’ve gotta calm down.” Arthur brings his hand up and massages the bridge of his nose. Kieran does not calm down. He thrashes, well, tries to, it’s more awkward wiggling with how tightly he's bound, and ends up on his back, heaving like he's been running from some kinda law half the night. ”I can't cut you loose if you keep moving.”
Kieran stares up at him, mumbles angrily around the cloth gag in his mouth. Arthur crouches and digs his fingers into his mouth so he can yank it down. Pretends not to notice when Kieran stills at it.
”What took you so long?” is the first thing out of his mouth. It's said angrily and for the first time, Arthur thinks the kid might have a bit of a backbone when it comes to him. Built up a tolerance to his devilishly handsome looks.
Then, he ruins it when he wilts under Arthur’s exasperated gaze.
”Sorry, ” Kieran mutters and sighs. ”Will you untie me now? Please?”
This fucking kid. Wouldn't hurt a fucking fly. O’Driscoll Arthur’s ass.
”You gonna stop your wriggling?” Kieran nods sullenly. ”Good.”
He cuts through the rope around Kieran’s forearms quickly, ignores his protests when he gets to his legs then almost guts him because Kieran twitches like he's just been struck by lightning. Arthur looks up at Kieran’s bright red face.
”What? Did I nick you or somethin’?” Arthur runs his eyes over Kieran’s thighs. He looks fine. Can't see any rips in the fabric that weren't there before. No blood at least.
”I can do that myself, ” Kieran says and doesn't meet Arthur’s eyes. Good lord.
”Knock yourself out, ” Arthur says and hands him the knife by the hilt. He really doesn't want to deal with Kieran’s inability to stop whatever the hell he's got going on with him. He turns his attention to where his horse is standing a few feet back and the unconscious man slung over her rump. She couldn't take the weight of two grown men and the O’Driscoll’s scrawny self.
Kieran works quickly. The sound of the rope being sawed through filling the air. The sound of Kieran’s awkwardly heavy breathing, too. Should he say something? No. Acknowledging it would make it worse. Arthur was sure.
”You know this feller?” Arthur asks just to break the silence.
The knife stops and Arthur hears the final strand of rope snap under Kieran’s hands. The kid gets up and walks over to the horse, still a little unsteady on his feet. Legs are probably still asleep. That, or he's injured worse than he’ll admit. Kieran grabs the man by his hair and tilts his head up. He makes a considering noise and frowns at the man in contemplation.
”Nah, just some asshole. Probably saw me on a poster, ” he finally decides on. He let's go of the man and turns back to Arthur. Then, in a tone of voice Arthur can only describe as prideful and said in a way he can only say is bragging, adds, ”I've got a bounty now.”
”Really?” Arthur drawls. ”Well, congrats, kid. We’ll make a real outlaw of you, yet.”
Kieran goes red like he can't tell the difference between sarcasm and praise.
Arthur moves so he's standing in front of the man. Kieran skitters out of his way like a frightened bunny rabbit. Arthur grabs the man by the lapels of his shirt and tosses him onto his shoulder. Kieran looks a little too long at Arthur’s arms. He walks back to the pile of rope Kieran had left and holds out his hand for his knife. Kieran drops it into his palm.
He cuts the man free, hits him again and holsters the knife.
”You’re not going to kill him?” Arthur looks over at Kieran. He's watching him, fiddling with his fingers and seemingly nervous and a little offended.
”You want me to?” he shoots back. Kieran shakes his head quickly.
”Just surprised is all.”
”Yeah.” Arthur looks back down at the man. Chances were he’d forget about whatever bounty Kieran had acquired. He'd almost pissed himself when Arthur had kicked open the door of his cabin. Didn't seem the bounty hunting type, for sure. Still, could never be too careful...
Arthur leaves the man be and walks back to his horse. He climbs into the saddle and offers his hand for Kieran to use. Kieran takes it. Arthur huffs out a laugh when he pulls Kieran a little too hard and yanks him half off the saddle.
”Shut up, ” Kieran says and blushes again.
”Pearson not been feeding you?” Arthur teases.
”I eat just fine.” Arthur snorts but drops it. Kid’ll get enough shit for being kidnapped by some halfwit farmer from the rest of the camp. He doesn't need Arthur teasing him.
”You’re going to have to hold on.” Arthur nudges his horse with his spurs and clicks his tongue until she's in a fast trot. ”Unless you plan to fall off?”
”Uh, right. I can do that.” Kieran grips Arthur’s hips weakly. Barely touching him. Arthur shakes his head, grins, but doesn't say anything. He does kick his horse on a little faster so Kieran is forced to grip him a little tighter. He doesn't need him falling off and cracking his head on a rock.
Neither of them say anything for a while. Arthur takes in the landscape around them and relaxes in one of the few moments of blessed silence he’s been allowed since joining Dutch and Hosea. Kieran stiff as a board and radiating so much heat from his cheeks Arthur thinks that if he could see his face he’d be glowing.
It's a nice spot that farmer had picked at least. A little too forest thick for Arthur to feel safe going any faster than he is now but it sure has a pretty view. There's a couple of ballsy deer that don't run at the sight of him and the whole place smells like pine. He can't make out the mountains or the sky because of all the trees but the birds and the nearby creak make up for it. He might come back to it. Maybe. When there wasn't an angry wannabe bounty hunter around.
”John is going to be happy someone else did something worse than getting attacked by wolves, I think, ” Arthur says. Kieran groans. ”How’d he sneak up on you, a fearsome O’Driscoll, anyway?”
”I don't want to talk about it, ” Kieran says tersely.
”Oh, come on. I rescue you and I don't even get a story from it? That's unfair.” Arthur ducks his head to avoid a low hanging branch, hears Kieran splutter when it hits him. ”You deserved that.”
The kid inhales and Arthur isn't expecting him to tell him but he is curious. Then, he exhales and says all in the same breath, ”I was petting a dog in town and he knocked me out with a bottle.”
Arthur pulls his horse to an abrupt halt. ”Wow.” He has to stop himself from continuing. Take a deep breath and wonder how this kid has survived a day in his life. ”Kieran, I'm being serious here, okay?” He waits until Kieran mutters an ’okay’ back. ”You cannot tell anyone that.” Mainly because Arthur wants to be the one to tell everyone. "That is—Just..." Arthur sighs. ”Kid, what the hell?”
”I know, ” Kieran moans miserably.
”Do-Do you need a watcher or something? Am I going to wake up one day and find out you got yourself kidnapped by a blind woman and her gang of small children? Kieran, I need to know.”
Kieran doesn't say anything in response. Arthur feels his hands clench a little around his waist.
”John is never letting this go. God, he's going to be insufferable.” Arthur laughs in spite of the dread in his tone.
”I thought you weren't going to tell anyone!” Kieran says, horrified.
”I said you shouldn't say anything.” Kieran whines. ”Look, because I'm a nice guy I won't mention this to anyone back home on one condition. You need to ask Dutch for some training.”
”That’s as bad as them all knowing!”
”Trust me. Nothing is as bad as Marston getting his hands on that.”
”Fine.”
The rest of the ride is quiet. Arthur occasionally laughing to himself as he thinks about Kieran getting taken for petting a dog. They make it back to camp in about an hour or two. Arthur isn't keeping track.
Lenny is by the tree line, rifle slung over his shoulder. He waves at them after Arthur calls out a hello. ”Good to see you back, Kieran.”
John is waiting by the hitching posts. He grins when he catches sight of them.
”Found him then?” John ambles over. Arthur slides off his horse and nods. Kieran climbs off after him, Arthur debates helping him but John’s smile turns filthy and he decides against it.
”Yeah, kid’s got some war stories too.” Kieran’s boots hit the ground with a thud and he scowls at them both.
”I do not.”
”Boy, ” John says and plants a hand of Kieran's shoulder. ”It sure seems like you do.” He turns back to face the camp. ”Arthur’s back and the O’Driscoll has war stories!”
Kieran looks like he wants to climb back onto Arthur’s horse and run away.
John turns back once he's satisfied with the amount of attention he's gathered. ”Tell you what, you share your stories about where you've been with the camp and I'll share mine about Arthur. Deal?”
Arthur gives him a dirty look and thumps him on the shoulder. The way John practically leers means there's nothing left to imagine what kind of stories he wants to share. Kieran freezes and flicks his gaze between John and Arthur. Fucking John Marston and his big mouth. He'd asked everyone not to encourage the kid.
”I mean, I got there first, after all.” It’s the final nail in the coffin.
”Deal.” Kieran nods.
Arthur hits him too.