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It was around five o'clock in the evening when Charles saw Arthur leaving. He was doing the chores around the camp like always, which wasn't surprising for anyone. But now he mounted his horse and rode away in the rays of the setting sun. As Arthur’s horse was galloping away Charles could only stare at the fainting figure that kept getting smaller and smaller in the golden light of the sun that slowly sat at the horizon.
After that Charles went to collect some herbs near the camp to make the poison arrows. The work helped him to clear off his mind and put all the thoughts in order. Yes, the weapon was a bit unethical but hey, at least it worked just fine. And what morals or ethics could they have if they were outlaws? As he was carefully plucking the plants he heard footsteps approaching.
“Oi, Charles!” it was Sean. “It's our turn to take ‘em ‘ight watch,” said the Irish, clearly not so happy about staying up all night. Charles sighed. Well, at least the night watch didn't require talking? If only Sean wouldn't start talking about his Pa like he usually tended to do.
“Coming,” Charles simply echoed, taking his double barrel shotgun. Yes, the night is going to be long.
The cold air didn't exactly make Charles shiver, no. It was a nice, cool type of air after a burning hot day. In Lemoyne state at this time of year the weather was almost hellish due to the heat. The night seemed way more pleasant than the day.
As Charles was standing in the trees, listening to every crack the branch made, every animal sound there was in the depth of the night, he heard horse galloping. It was around three o'clock in the morning, a little early, wasn't it? But, as it usually happens to be, he saw Arthur. His shirt and vest looked weirdly drenched with water, so did his jeans and chaps. Was he… swimming? Or did he fall into the river? The least that Charles could say was that it's weird. Even for Arthur and his usual night shenanigans. Meanwhile, Arthur dismounted, leaving his black Shire named Winchester next to Taima. The man walked straight up to his cot and fell on it, without saying any word nor taking off his clothes. Right after he just… went to sleep.
Well, Charles was only left to give up his night watch duty post and go to sleep since his job here was done.
The next day Charles woke up around noon since he was awake most of the night before. He saw that Arthur was doing chores. Charles had no idea how long the other outlaw was awake, but Arthur already fed the horses and filled up the camp wash bin with fresh water from the river.
Charles, meanwhile, went to the pot to grab some stew for himself. He was starving because of the night watch duty from before. The man sat near the usual spot where the campfire was burning during the night. He found himself on one of the boxes they used as chairs with a bowl of stew in his hands.
Arthur was carrying the sacks to the Pearson's wagon, when he decided it's a little too warm to do the camp chores in a vest, shirt, jeans, chaps and a hat. So naturally, Arthur went to his cot to shed off some clothes. Now he had a simple black shirt with a few buttons loose starting from his collar because of the burning hot air. The man took off the chaps and spurs so it would be easier to do the work. He also took off his fingerless gloves and his infamous worn out gambler hat. Arthur tied his hair up since now it was near shoulder length and got in the way while working.
Charles, meanwhile, was still sitting on the same spot, but now he had a mortar and pestle on the stump next to his box. Also arrow blanks in his hands. The man was making poison arrows he was planning to make before.
Arthur went straight to chop the wood for camp. Usually when he wasn't there either John or Charles himself were chopping wood for the camp. Also when Arthur was at the camp but he was sleeping till noon after a rough night, John did him a favor with chopping wood.
But right now Arthur was present and awake. It also seemed that he was full of energy to do some chores.
Charles watched the man swing his arms and the axe split the wood in two. Arthur's muscles flexed. Charles just sat there, watching the man sweating, chopping wood. There was something going on inside his head, he just couldn't quite explain what.
He pretended that he was busy making the arrows, but shot glances from time to time to see Arthur chopping wood.
The way his arms tensed, the way his muscles flexed, the way he brushed his hair away from his forehead… Would he still do the same in a little bit different situation or… Wait, no, that's not what he was supposed to think about…! Arrows. Fire arro- Oh wait, it's poison arrows. Goddammit, he has to concentrate!
Bill was quietly observing from the table a little bit further from Charles’ box.