Under The Eyes of The Wolf (an rdr2 Arthur Morgan x oc story)

26-You Get Me Closer To God

WARNING-This chapter, once again, contains smut. A * will indicate beginning and end of explicit content.

Arthur woke a few hours later from the silence that suddenly filled the barn as the storm passed and the rain ceased it's tapping on the metal roof above them.

"Hey darlin', we gotta get goin'. Before the folk who live here come out and catch us in their barn." He says gently, rousing K.

"Mmm, did the storm pass?"

"Sounds like it. Fer now."

They proceeded to get up and dress themselves in their clothes that were still slightly damp. Arthur began tacking the horses while K folded up the blankets they'd used and put them neatly back where she'd found them before double checking to make sure the fire in the stove was out. Arthur carefully opened the barn door, peaking out to scan for any signs of the people that lived at the farm. When he was sure nobody was around he opened the door enough to allow K to exit, leading the horses behind her. He secured the door shut behind them, being sure to leave everything as it was before they'd came then the two mounted up and headed back to camp.

The ride was peaceful and the moon was bright showing through the few remaining clouds overhead, lighting their way.

"You all right cowboy? You're bein' awful quiet over there." She mentions.

"Sure. You kiddin'? I'm great. Just thinkin' bout that tip from the feller in Annesburg." He fibbed. He couldn't stop thinking about the growing connection between K and himself. To say he'd die protecting her was an easy thing for Arthur to accept. He'd do the same for most of the gang. To be willing to admit he'd place her safety first, even before Dutch and Hosea? This was where he struggled. He'd like to think his number one loyalty always belonged to the two men that raised him and he knew K would never purposely put him in a position where he had to choose but if it came down to it, he wasn't sure what he would do or who he would choose.

~one week later~

K sat by the lake on a log with her saddle set before her, carefully oiling the leather with a rag and some mink oil. As she sat there she noticed out of the corner of her eye, the youngest member of the van der Linde gang watching her intently.

"How's it goin', Mr. Marston Junior?" She asked the young boy.

"What? I'm Jack!" The boy replies, sounding confused.

"I know. But what's your dad's last name?"

"Marston."

"And since you're his son, that makes you Mr. Marston Junior."

"Really? Wow! That makes me sound like a grownup!" He giggles. "What are you doing?"

"I'm oiling my saddle."

"Why?"

"Because this way, when it rains or Orion sweats on a hot day, it won't damage the leather that the saddle is made of. Everything you own you have to take care of if you want it to last a long time." She explains.

"Really? I wish I had a saddle." He says longingly.

"You have to have a horse first, little man."

"Oh. Well, I wish I had a horse then."

"Give it a couple years. I'll tell you what. As soon as you grow tall enough to be able to reach the stirrups from the seat of a saddle, I'll get you a horse of your own."

"Really!?" He exclaimed.

"Sure. As long as it's okay with your folks of course."

"Oh..." His demeanor suddenly dropped, his little shoulders slouching.