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You weren't exactly the "bold and daring" type. So, finding yourself on the run from the law amidst a gang of seasoned criminals wasn't something you'd ever imagine yourself doing: nonetheless, here you were. A rebel. Perhaps the most straight-laced rebel in the Van der Linde gang, but a rebel all the same.
You made yourself busy most days with idle chores, things like cleaning and feeding the horses; you'd also hunt and fish on occasion, though you never strayed far from Horseshoe Overlook ever since you and the gang had made your temporary home there. Things were quiet here. Quiet was your specialty. Noise and new things always meant a whole heap of trouble. This much you knew for certain.
So when Arthur Morgan rode into camp one night smiling like he'd just won the lottery, your own jaw tensed hard. Even worse was when he approached you with the wide gait and open arms of someone greeting a long lost lover. You turned away and pretended to be very occupied with brushing through the dark curls of your horse's mane.
He was probably going to try and have you rob a home with him, or something of the like… You two had gone on such trips before, and it always rattled you so bad that you swore each time to never go again; of course, you'd give in eventually… Hopefully, though, "eventually" was not today. The thought of gunfire sent old jolts of panic rattling up your spine all over again.
"Hey!" Called Arthur, with an exclamation of your name that followed; sweet as honey to your ears, so long as it came from his voice.
A pause. You remembered the potential danger of this man—no, this criminal—standing behind you; though you knew you couldn't ignore him for long.
You turned to face him with a small smile, and a level, quiet intonation. "Arthur."
You had to look up at the man, and you noted how his sparkling blue eyes were crinkled in a smile. They caught the light well from this angle, for he was standing in a sunny spot under the shadows of the overhead treetops that dappled the ground. His open arms fell to his sides, and his hands folded into his pockets, his grin became more of a sideways smile, mischievous. Planning. "Why don't you come along with me?" A pause, and a gruff addition: "Got something I wanna show ya."
"You know I don't like surprises."
"You'll like this one."
You regarded Arthur with your arms folded as he mounted his horse again. He looked at you expectantly, and you did the same, seating yourself atop your steed's back and taking the reigns. Your companion set off toward the road, and, with a sigh, so did you. It was a peaceful night, despite your growing feeling of unease the further you got from camp. Cicadas hummed, the thud of horseshoes sounded against the dirt road, and a small breeze whispered through the grass. Your gaze was mostly set to the silhouette of the man ahead of you, though. He didn't say much, that wasn't out of the ordinary, though something told you that this silence was calculated, judging by his laxness in the saddle and his loose grip on the reigns, he was being smug.
"You're sure?" Your own voice surprised you, for it had escaped you without your permission.
"Sure," Arthur replied, "'less you wanna change your mind. Ride back to camp, I won't stop you."
You briefly considered the option before shaking your head, though you knew he couldn't see you from where you rode. The surefire sound of your horse continuing to follow his was enough confirmation for the man, and his smile only grew.
It wasn't long before Arthur pulled his horse off the road and into a small field just to the side of it. He dismounted, and hitched his horse to a tree nearby. You followed suit, and dusted yourself off once you were on your feet again.
"This?" You tilted your head. He shook his.He then extended a hand your way, and you paused before taking it in your own. His skin was leathery against yours, rough from his line of work yet soft in how he was gripping you. You walked by his side, silent, save for the thudding of your heart against your ribcage, which you were sure was loud enough for Arthur to hear.The two of you came to a stop after passing a few feet of forest, and you waited for a moment as your eyes adjusted to the darkness. You could hear water running on your right, but it was a few seconds before your eyes caught on to the stream, and the ground before you, and…
The sight.
There was a ring of trees that surrounded the both of you, and the stream to your right, yes, but now you could see a large stone in the center of the clearing. Below it, and along the ground as a whole, were wildflowers. Petals and stems grew without a care in the world, and they spread along the grass in a frenzy of white that seemed, almost, like it was glowing beneath the moon's pale sheen.Carefully, Arthur stepped over several of the blooms and leaves in a path he surely had memorized, guiding you all the way. He made himself at home and sat down on the rock, you did the same.For a brief time, words escaped you. You tried opening your mouth a few times, but whatever language you were reaching for turned to dust in your mind as your eyes scanned along the flowers, and along the stream, again and again.
"Told you you'd like it." Arthur teased, nudging your shoulder with his own."Yeah. S'nice." You'd normally tease him back, but any wit you could've summoned had left you already.
"Found it when I was huntin' the other day," there was a pause after that which stretched a little too long, "'nd the flowers brought you to mind."
A dry swallow before you could articulate your response. "Why?"
"Why you think?" Arthur carefully took a stray flower in his hand, not plucking it, but simply pulling it closer. He examined it, his eyes lazily downcast as he spun it idly between his fingertips.
"Well— I… I don't know. Why'm I supposed to think?" You spluttered, your hand rose to your collarbone and rubbed just above it, you could feel your rapid pulse just under your palm, now, which didn't help your nervousness.
"C'mere." He gestured for you to come a little closer, and you obeyed. Now, you were slightly pressed into his side, and he brought the flower in his hand to where both of you could see it."It's called starflower," he started, though his eyes weren't on the flower anymore, "and it's like… When your eyes sorta, catch the light, n'they glow." Arthur was mentally kicking himself as the words left his lips, he wasn't a poetic man by any means, nor did he consider himself to be one. Something about you, though, inspired him to try to be.
You felt warmth flood your neck and face as he spoke. You brought your gaze up to meet his, and found yourself stricken. "Starflower, huh?" Your words were almost lost under the singing of the stream and the whistling of wind that accompanied it.
"Yeah. I mean… S'pretty. Is what I mean. Like you."
"Can't just say that…"
"Well, why not? True, ain't it?" His voice grew lower to match yours, like you were exchanging secrets. As he spoke, he shifted to face you and took your chin in his free hand. He carefully tilted your face upward, so you were seeing him fully. His warm breath teased along your lips. Your heart danced.
"You think so?"
"'ll prove it to ya."
And he did.
The kiss was gentler than you'd expect of the rugged and intimidating outlaw that was Arthur Morgan. You were also pleasantly surprised by the fact that his lips were much softer than his hands as his mouth moved against yours.
He kissed like it was an old talent he was just now tapping into again; with slow and deliberate moves as he found his rhythm. As he aimed to learn you. He learned you, indeed. And relearned, and relearned, and relearned, kiss after kiss, until every inch of your face was burned into his memory, and until you had no other thoughts but of him, and of the scene around you.The night felt as though it lasted for a hundred nights over, you thought, as you rode back to camp by Arthur's side. Maybe straying away from camp wasn't such a bad thing, after all.Not bad at all, you mused inwardly as your gaze flicked along the grass and the trees that slowly passed you by. Every leaf and every stone had a new shine to your eye, and the birdsong that came with early morning was more beautiful than you'd ever heard it. Not bad at all.