Chapter Text
"and?"
Arthur turned his naked back to Hosea and John. He grabbed his shirt off his bedroll and put it back on. He glanced back at the mirror Hosea had given him, eyes lingering over where his soulmate's name was; his heart. Arthur shrugged and turned back to them.
"who is it? is it that Mary girl?" Hosea asked, tilting his head.
Arthur huffed, shook his head. He didn't know what he was going to tell her. "It ain't anyone i've ever met."
The old man nodded, putting a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "there's still time to meet them. you're still young."
the young outlaw didn't reckon he would ever meet him.
John chuckled, gathering Hosea and Arthur's attention. "i feel bad for the gal that landed with this thick-headed idiot." and at that, Hosea barked out a laugh and Arthur reached over to his younger brother to put him in a headlock, but the little bastard moved faster and ran away quickly.
one name sticks in his head for the rest of the week.
Charles Smith.
After being down at Horseshoe overlook for a couple weeks now, A letter from Mary had arrived. She wanted to see him. He frowned as he read through the letter. it was weird. she's the one that said they were too different to be together, when in reality Arthur was sure it was because she met her soulmate, Barry. But he wasn't too bothered about it, it's not like he could ask her to set her soulmate aside for him. Something stirred in his gut the more he thought about it, so he tucked the letter away into his satchel and went to his horse. He may as well go see her now.
"Where are you going at this time?" Karen asked, standing post.
"I'll be back soon, don't you worry." He tells her nonchalantly.
She doesn't reply, but Arthur can feel her stare into the back of his neck as he drives his horse into a trot out of camp. He doesn't understand her concern, he could handle himself. though, he suspects its because of the letter. It wasn't the first time Mary had written to him.
As he approaches where Mary had told him to meet her, he hitch's his horse up and approaches the door. After knocking, he takes off his hat and holds it nervously. A woman with a gun answers, eyes steady on him. He gives her an awkward nod, and asks if Mary was in. she tells him to wait a minute, and a couple seconds later, there she is.
"Hello, Arthur." she steps out, closing the door behind her. "i- erm. i heard you and your friends was around, i.." she trails off.
"Okay." Arthur offers, "where's..where's what's his name?"
She looks away for a minute. "Died."
"Well. I'm sorry to hear that. " not really.
She swallows, "me too. Happened a while ago. pneumonia."
"Bad business." He offers, shifting his weight onto his other foot. "so, uh. well, y-y-you've been" he clears his throat, "you've been made a widow and you come here looking for me, is that it?"
Mary's eyes widen, "No, it ain't like that, Arthur."
he still remembers what she told him when she said she couldn't love him with the life he lived.
"oh, okay." He looks away, back to his horse. should he leave?
"Listen, Arthur. I- I. My family. I need your help." she steps forward.
oh that's funny. it really was.
"You mean the family that always looked down on me?" he leans a little bit closer. "And you want me to help them?" how could she ask him to do that?
She gave him them eyes, the pleading ones he was always weak for. "It's my little brother, Jamie." He turned away, stepping to the banister and putting his hands against it.
"i always liked Jamie. at least compared to the rest of 'em." She steps beside him, and puts her hands against the banister too.
"He's broken daddy's heart." She tells him.
Arthur feels like laughing, "Daddy has a heart?"
She turned to him, voice firm. "Don't make me beg you, Arthur"
Mary never needed to beg in the first place. him coming here was his decision.
"My money, my life- me." He tries to meet her eyes, but she looks away. "I wasn't good enough."
she draws her lips tight. "i'm sorry. we need your help real bad."
She explains to him what Jamie's done, joined a weird cult, and despite how much Arthur feels like she's trying to use their personal relationship to help her little brother, he decides to help her nonetheless. she tells him to find him at the train station afterwards.
He gets onto his horse, and starts making his way to Carmody dell, and it doesn't take long to find Jamie, and the cult he's somehow joined. He talks to them, and manages to peacefully let them let him see Jamie. until that kid starts running away, onto a horse and starts galloping away. right around now, he's wishing he didn't even wake up this morning. He hops onto his horse, and chases after Jamie. they get separated by a train, and Jamie takes out a gun. He knows the kid probably doesn't even know how to shoot it. Jamie manages to scare off his horse, and starts pointing the gun at his own head. Arthur had to act fast. he slowly reach's for his holstered gun, and draws it. He makes quick work shooting Jamie's gun out of his hand. Jamie hugs him, and Arthur pats his back awkwardly. they eventually make it back to valentine and he brings Jamie to Mary.
He watches as the train leaves.
and he feels no different from when he'd even read the letter.
He writes in his journal, about everything, and he feels like his heart strings are being pulled. toyed with. the name above his heart burns.
When he makes his way back to horseshoe overlook, everyone more or less is asleep. Karen has switched out with Bill for the night and He gives Bill a curt nod as he passes by. He can't sleep, so he sits by the campfire, staring into the flames and letting his body rest. someone settles beside him, offering him a cup of coffee.
"can't sleep?" Charles asks, giving him a smile.
Arthur takes the coffee gratefully, "Mhm." he tries not to think about how their finger's brush as he takes it.
Charles is quiet for a minute, and Arthur can feel the tension. he wants to say something.
"spit it out." he tells Charles, glancing at him, before taking a long sip of the coffee.
The younger man shifts, "Well. the girls were concerned about you. something to do with a woman named Mary?"
Arthur's face hardens visibly, and he lets out a heavy, gruff, sigh. He was hoping no one would mention her. "yeah. i just went to go help her with some family issues."
Charles is watching him, "is she your soulmate?"
Arthur cant help but laugh, shaking his head before looking down at the cup in his hands. "naw. just an old fling from when i was younger." he finally meets Charles' eyes and sees that the man looks pensive, but his eyes are calm. "we- she broke it off after meeting her soulmate. ha. she tried tellin' me it was because i was an outlaw but.. the engagement ring on her finger said otherwise"
"i'm sorry." Charles offers.
Arthur shakes his head again, pulling his hat down to cover his eyes. "it ain't your fault."
"do you- do you still like her?"
Arthur grimaces. "that's a tough question, Mr smith.", He chews his lip. "an old version of me would say yes. but- well. i've grown. i haven't totally moved on, but.."
Charles settles a hand on Arthur's shoulder, and Arthur feels the warmth of it through his clothes.
They sit in silence for a while longer. Charles eventually removes his hand, and Arthur finds himself missing the contact immediately. Charles swallows audibly and meets Arthur's eyes once more.
"-and, what about your soulmate?"
Arthur looks at him, at the way the firelight caresses Charles' face and how his dark eyes are bright even in the middle of the night. his heart beats faster, and Charles' name on his chest burns. If Charles had Arthur's name on him, he would have mentioned it, by now. it wasn't unusual for people to have one sided soulmarks. Arthur supposed it was god's way of getting him back after all the killing, robbing and hurting he's done.
"what about my soulmate?" he finally says, tongue feeling heavy in his mouth.
Charles purses his lips, "never-mind."
After that, Charles stands and Arthur stares back into the fire. He leaves without another word.
Arthur does not sleep that night.
When he had joined the Van der linde's he didn't guess he would be with them for long, nor did he reckon he would meet his soulmate here. He used to like staying in a small group, or even by himself, but since he started travelling with them Charles could say he felt a lot more at home. he felt safer, and he wasn't always over his shoulder. Dutch had told him even if he did decide to leave, he would always have a place here. However, what really sealed his place here, was shaking hands with one Arthur Morgan.
"My name's Charles smith." He offers his hand.
Arthur glanced at his hand, and then back at him, before firmly taking it. "Arthur Morgan."
He gathered the ingredients needed to make some poisonous arrows, and started making them; taking his time and making sure it would be perfect. After all, these weren't for him. He had asked Arthur to get him some Oleander sage so he could make some for him. he reckoned he should teach him how to make them sometime. once the arrows were done, he went over to Arthur's lodgings and settled them on the desk there. he looked around, he hadn't seen him since last night. He was probably out doing a job, or something. Meanwhile, Charles busied himself with chores around camp, chopping firewood and moving some hay for the horses.
After a couple of hours of work, the stew is done and Charles helps himself, sitting at the camp fire as Javier plays a song and Uncle sings along to it. Not too long after, Dutch returns, with John and Strauss; who is injured. He immediately starts telling everyone to pack up, and to do it quickly. Miss Grimshaw nods, and starts barking orders while she takes a look at Strauss. Charles begins packing up his things, packing them away in a wagon. He helps Mary-beth pack up Arthur's lodgings, and then goes to Pearson to see if he needs help too. he keeps busy, and eventually Arthur returns. Everyone in camp can vaguely hear Hosea and Dutch arguing about how they're continuing to run away, and from afar Charles watches as Arthur approaches the two.
And not even moments later, "Charles, come with me. we've got work to do" Arthur approaches him and their horses.
"now, where have i heard that before."
as they begin their ride, Charles speaks up. "so where are we going?" he asks, riding alongside Arthur's horse.
Arthur looks at him, "find a new spot to camp. we're packing up and moving on."
Charles frowns, "Again?"
"We have to. and fast. we'd already pushed our luck too far before that mess we made in valentine."
The younger of the two nods, "ah. that didn't sound good."
Arthur nods as-well, "killed a lot of law. Killed a lot of cornwall's men." he rides harder, "they must know where we are by now."
"so, we're heading South?" thats..well..
Arthur huffs, "yeah, area called dewberry creek. Dutch wants us to give it a look. make sure its clear and a good place to lie low for a while."
"i've only known him for a few months, but.. the way he talks, i never thought i'd see him wanting to head south." He's honest.
Arthur seemingly agrees, "Right..and i know by now, there ain't no lying low."
"there's too may of us, for that" Charles inclines his head, gripping Taima's reins hard.
Arthur nods again, "and, there ain't no way Dutch is gonna just hide away in a cave somewhere." He looks around, "goes against everything he stands for. that'd be admitting we're nothing more than low-down criminals."
Charles' makes a face at that, "which...we are."
"you don't have to tell me."
"So where does it end?" he feels like this is a question that Arthur wont be able to answer in a way that will satisfy him.
"Where does what end?"
"the moving, the running" He explains.
"Dutch don't see it as running."
Charles' clenches his jaw. "Call it watch you want."
"I don't know." there it is. "Before, put enough time and distance between you and the problem, eventually it went away." He's quiet for a second, "and this is a big country. But now..with these pinkertons.."
Charles leans forward in his saddle, eager to hear Arthur's answer, but he stops himself.
"Hang on a second, i think that must be it up ahead. the old dried up creek." he bobs his head towards it, and Charles looks over.
"seem's very open."
Arthur narrows his eyes, "yeah, it does. ain't sure it'd be the best in the rain neither. well.. let's take a look around."
Charles doesn't say anything, preferring to scanning around the creek. He notices something not too far.
"hey, there's something over there." he squints, "you see it? someone on the ground there"
Arthur approaches it slowly with his horse, and the vultures picking at the body disperse quickly. Charles dismounts, and kneels by the body to get a closer look.
"he's been shot. looks like trouble got here before us." Arthur says, somewhat lamely, Charles makes a noise of agreement.
He then points out the camp up ahead, and they both go towards it to investigate. Charles stays somewhat close to Arthur, before sniffing, "Someone's been here."
"sure."
"someone's still here." they approached the wagon and the crates covering it.
"there ain't no one here now."
Charles stepped lightly around the wagon. "i ain't so sure about that."
Eventually, they both pull the crates down, and there, a woman and two children cowering beneath the wagon. the woman sniffed, shaking as she held the double-barrelled shotgun. the two kids beside her cowered. Arthur and Charles held their hands up, slowly stepping back.
"it's okay." Charles offered, "it's okay" he slowly moved his gun back into its holster.
"you come on out of there" he made a gesture for them to come out. he slowly approached again, "you okay?" he raised his hands again, "we don't mean you no harm."
he was well aware of Arthur's eyes flickering between him and the woman holding the gun.
thankfully, the woman began to push the crates out from under the wagon, and rose, still aiming the shotgun at both of them. she rounded them slowly, and the kids scampered behind her and following her each step.
"He said a-are you okay?" Arthur offered once more.
the woman began speaking a language neither of them knew how to speak, asking "g-german?" and at that, Arthur threw a look to Charles.
"No." he tells her. "now go on. get out of here. we need the land. get the hell outta here-"
"They took our father!" the young girl behind her mother spoke up.
Arthur clenched his jaw, looking away. "who did?" this was trouble.
the young girl continued, "m-men. last night."
"Where?" Arthur asked, and Charles continued, "Where did they take him?"
Arthur turned to him, "it ain't no business of ours. i don't even speak their language."
Charles curled his fists, eyebrows furrowing and he pointed into Arthur's face. "you ain't all tough and dense as all that." he began walking away, "come on, Arthur."
They began looking for the families father, looking for tracks and any signs of camps. Arthur pointed out some tracks, and Charles was pleasantly surprised at how far he'd come since their last hunt together. Arthur was, despite that, acting differently. harsher.
"what's wrong with you?" He gave Arthur a firm look.
"what d'you mean?"
he really was thick.
"You were just going to send that woman and her children on their way?" Charles huffed.
At that, Arthur's face hardened, "We're wanted men. we got pinkertons breathing down our necks. we should be moving camp. not running off on a wild goose chase."
That was definitely out of character for Arthur. While he has a tough, rough exterior, if someone needed saving he would save them. if there was shooting to be done, he would be doing the shooting. On top of that, Arthur never really thought about himself; from the couple of months Charles had known him Arthur would put others first. He would see Arthur making sure the girls back at camp would eat, while forgetting to eat, himself. Arthur wasn't selfish. He was selfless, so this was definitely weird.
"Come on, Arthur. that's not how you are."
And Arthur, he had the nerve to say, "Well, Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."
Charles doesn't reply, instead focusing on the tracks again.
Eventually, they find the track again, and are trotting along the coast of a lake, and somehow they get onto the topic of John and Jack.
"I think John's quite lucky to have even met Abigail, much less have a kid with her. Not many have that chance."
"The little bastard doesn't deserve it. He takes them for granted. Took off for a year, left Abigail, little jack too. He left us." Arthur shakes his head.
"he's back, isn't he? he's trying. give him a chance." Charles says, "seriously, he's making up for it. i can tell."
Arthur is quiet and doesn't reply for some time.
"the thing is he just up and took off. Soulmates are complicated. it's rare to even meet them, not to mention have a child with them. he took it for granted, and left them without a second thought. He met Abigail when he was young, before he had even gotten his soulmates name." He licks his bottom lip and looks away, "he's lucky Abigail is even sticking around."
From the way Arthur was speaking, Charles could gather that he hadn't met his soulmate yet. Arthur's name between his shoulder blades burn as if he was struck with the same poisonous arrow he had made for the man riding with him. He doesn't say anything more, until he sees something up ahead.
"there's a camp up ahead."
"Be careful." Arthur tells him firmly.
"seems deserted. let's take a look."
"so where is this guy" Arthur looks around.
Charles hums, "i don't know..but you know something? this is a better camp spot than back there. much easier to defend."
they continue to look around, and eventually find the father. As Arthur takes off his gag, He starts yelling in German and there's shooting. Arthur takes quick cover, as does Charles. they fight side by side, covering each other and just as quick as the fight had began, it had finished. Arthur finishes untying the man.
"Charles, go find dutch. Get the caravan to divert here. this spot should work for us." he orders, and the man nods, mounting his horse and riding off.
It's been around a week since then, having settled at clemens point, and thats when Arthur and Sadie grew close, especially after taking her into town and dealing with the lemonye raiders. she was a bit of a wild one, but she definitely had a fresh personality compared to everyone who was quite serious. She confided in Arthur, and Arthur felt like he could do the same to her. she had asked for a harmonica a while back, when he had taken her into town, and when he found her one she played it to him and even Arthur, who never really had much care for music, could say she was good at it.
after spending a day hunting with Sadie after Charles had said he was busy, Dutch pulled him aside.
"now, i don't know your intentions with Mrs Adler, Arthur." he began, "But you best be careful, women like her, they ain't afraid of dying. i don't want you to go through what i went through with Annabelle." He speaks plainly.
Arthur blinked, "I don't- i'm not interested in Sadie that way." He insists, "She's just..well. She's been a good spirit. I want to be there for her, because for a while after her husband died she pushed everyone away."
something dawns on Dutch's face. "Ah."
Arthur frowns bringing his hat down to cover his eyes and inclining his head down, "you were..well. after Annabelle died, you were different. drank a lot more, and you isolated yourself from us. we thought you had finally snapped. I cant let that happen to Sadie. she's young, you know? and strong"
Dutch nods. "You're good, son. too good for anyone here."
Arthur made a noise of protest, "naw. not really."
His father figure placed a hand on his shoulder, "i know you're, well.. after Mary, you didn't date, nor see to a woman. I assumed it was because you were trying to be loyal to your soulmate. You seem lonely, son."
Arthur scowled, "I'm not. i'm fine. I just, well.. we move a lot, so it wouldn't be good for me to try to get into a relationship. y'know?"
Dutch lets go of Arthur's shoulder, and hums. "I guess. i wont try to bother you about this, but at least do something with the others around camp."
Arthur left Dutch's tent, glancing back as he saw Dutch sit next to Molly again; leaning close and pointing his finger against a word in the book she was reading. He looked away, and saw Charles helping John fix the wheel of a wagon, lifting it up while John pushed the wheel. He looked away again, and kept walking. there, by his lodging, Sadie was waiting for him.
"Hey." She says, "before dutch took you away, you were going to say somethin'" she reminds him.
"i d'remember." He shakes his head. "i'll let you know if it comes back to me"
She gives him a look, and bobs her head. After a bit, he leaves camp, and head to the grays for Dutch, since he had told him to 'sniff around and see what he could find out'. He shows the guard's standing post his badge, and they eventually let him in. he finds Beau Gray, and the boy speaks far too much than Arthur would like. A minute or so into their conversation, he pulls his collar down and exposes his soulmark. it writes, in thick cursive "Penelope Braithwaite." He thinks he understands now.
He, at a price, helps Beau. He heads to the Braithwaite property and sneaks around, nearly getting caught once or twice, but makes it to Penelope safely. he delivers the letter and the bracelet and he watches as she brightens at the Beau's name. It really is something, to see love as pure and innocent as this. She gives him a letter to give Beau, and he sighs inwardly at being sent back as a messenger. He leaves the Braithwaite property before anyone can spot him, and returns the letter to Beau. He pays Arthur, and then reads the letter through. He asks for Arthur's help once more, and they make their way into town, to Penelope.
somehow, he ends up driving the wagon for their suffrage, and then he's escorting Beau away from his cousins, and back home.
it's been a long day. When he heads back into camp, the sun is setting, and people are getting ready for bed. well, some people. At the campfire, Javier, Uncle, Bill and Micah all sat, drinking and singing. he has no idea what prompted the celebration. But he wont pass up an excuse to get drunk. He sits with them, joining along with the singing and grabbing a beer from the opened box. He may have one too many, because soon enough there double campfires right in front of him. He blinks, and suddenly he's not even at the campfire anymore; instead stumbling around camp.
"Arthur, i'm trying to sleep here." Hosea says, sitting up on his elbows.
Arthur groans and walks away, stumbling into someone. Hands come to his arms, steadying him and he looks at the person in front of him.
"Sadie?" He blinks.
She smirks, "phew, man. you have drank too much. let's get you to bed before you wake everyone up." She guides him away, and he finds himself being pushed down onto his bed.
"sa-sadie." he hiccups. "it's dark."
She laughs, "no shit. it's the middle of the night."
He looks at her again. "i remembered what i wanted to tell you" he mumbles.
She hums, "yeah?"
He slowly unbuttons his shirt, struggling a bit, and Sadie's eyes widen. "woah- woah! Arthur, as complimented as i am i'm not-"
Arthur pulls his shirt to to the side, and shows it to her. "i wanted, uhh.." he groans again, "advice. you were married."
She takes a minute, slowly pulling up Arthur's shirt again and buttoning it up. "how about we talk about this when you're sober."
His eyes droop and she snorts as he endeavours to keep his eyes open. She pulls the blanket up and throws it over him before walking away. Arthur's asleep before he knows it.
Come morning, Arthur's nurturing a hard hangover. It's not as bad as Micah's hangover, as he can see the man from across the camp holding a bucket up to his chin. Someone's approaching his tent, and when he finally manages to look up at who; it's Charles with a cup of coffee. again.
"fuck. thanks." he takes it from the man. "you always seem to be saving me with coffee."
Charles shrugs. "it's no big deal. you were a mess last night."
He drags a hand over his face. "i don't usually get drunk off of beer of all things." He takes a long drag of the coffee.
"well, when you have over twenty bottles, i don't think you really have a choice." Charles chuckles. "you rest, okay?"
Arthur nodded, "i'll do my best."
As he settles comfortably, leaning his elbows on his knees as he raises the coffee to his lips. The banging headache in that drums against his temple like gunshots quietens by the hangover's runs its course. After half an hour or so passes, of just resting his eyes and letting his thoughts wander, he feels the weight of his bedroll shift next to him and when he opens his eyes; it's Sadie. memories of last night return and he quickly looks away from her. she doesn't say anything yet. Instead she rests her hand on his shoulder, and gives him time. he's dreading a conversation he hadn't even meant to prompt. She takes her hand away ultimately, and instead looks away too.
"Jake was not my soulmate." she starts, "and i was not his."
He looks at her. He doesn't know what to say. she doesn't look back at him, instead she sighs and rests a hand on her holster.
"we met when we were young. we fell in love, and we never met our soulmates. god didn't put us together, Arthur. but we didn't fight our feelings." She finally looks at him, her voice growing more rough as she speaks. "it doesn't matter if your soulmate is a man or a woman, it's what was meant to be. and i'm not trying to imply otherwise, but i'm assumin' you told me because you're feeling..conflicted."
she breathes in steadily. "you checked up on me everyday, since finding me. and i will never forget that, Arthur."
Arthur wasn't a man who was easy scared or nervous. It took a lot to scare him. or at-least that's what he'd say. but here, as Sadie spoke to him with rocky truth, he felt his finger's fidgeting as sweat built up on his palms.
"so to me , i don't care who you fuck. i don't give a shit whether it's a man, woman, or something entirely new." her shoulder's slump. "because i never even met my soulmate. my parents thought i shouldn't have married someone who wasn't written on my damn skin. instead i met someone who mattered to me. so in the end, it is all up to you. up to yer heart, you hear?"
Arthur clears his throat, "I hear." he murmurs.
"so you talk to Charles. or you don't. because god gave us freewill for a reason." She nods to him, bringing her hand up and rubbing it against her nose. "you do damn well whatever you please because who's gonna stop you?" she gave him a firm look, expecting an answer.
so he spoke, "no-one."
She grinned, "i wanna hear it again."
He gripped the empty cup of coffee hard, "no-one."
With a chuckle, she hit his shoulder and nodded again. "good. now stop brooding because you got a lil' tipsy and do some work."