//BEARING ARMS//RDR2//ARTHUR x READER

Chapter Eighteen

After departing, the girls almost immediately came back together. They all crowded around the returning men to see a sorrowful sight. They came back with bruises and cuts from fistfights and exhausted from shooting.

Miss Grimshaw looked around the crowd, "where's that boy? Sean?" He was indeed missing from the group. Sean was insistent that he went along with the rest of the men to Rhodes.

"He was killed," started Arthur, "poor boy didn't even see it comin'." He was fuming with anger. Arthur knew this plan was not going to end well. Losing a friend, especially one as young as Sean, was not expected.

Mary-Beth gasped. "What? Sean's dead?" No one could believe the news. Everything was going downhill before, but losing another member made everything worse.

"It was those damn Grays!" Said Bill. He was upset about the loss but missed the bigger picture. The whole accident could have been avoided if none of them went into town in the first place or meddled around with the family feuds between the Braithwaites and Grays.

Arthur snapped, "I can't believe you all didn't expect a stunt like that to happen! We walked right on in, actin' like we wanted to poke a fight! And look what happened." To him, the other men in the group were losing their credibility more and more.

Bill wanted to yell in retaliation but was pulled away by Miss Grimshaw. She knew everyone needed to calm down after all that had happened. (Y/n) hesitantly walked to Arthur. She was not sure if it was her place to ask what happened. She never had the pleasure of meeting Sean either. (Y/n) was randomly entered into the mix and it made her feel awkward. But, if Arthur was upset, she wanted to know why. She cared for him and decided to comfort him like the way he had always done for her.

(Y/n) held his arm close. "Are you okay?" She asked in complete concern. Arthur barely moved his head, which only made (Y/n) more uneasy.

"I'm fine," he said as he turned to face her better. Once his face was visible, a gash of the side of his face was revealed.

"Oh, dear," she said. "that doesn't look well at all! Come on," (Y/n) began to lead Arthur to the medical tent to patch up his face. She sat him down on a crate and prepared the medicine needed to apply onto his wound.

Arthur, who usually left his cuts as is, began to fuss. He slowly stood up and said, "Thank you, (Y/n), but I think I'm fine-"

"Oh, no you're not!" She said as she pushed him back down. (Y/n) was determined to clean up that gash. Being locked up in her house for most of her life reading, she picked up on how to treat and bandage wounds on others. She also had learned that even the smallest of cuts are susceptible to infections. (Y/n) did not want to risk her newly discovered love to contract any kind of infection, no matter how trivial.

Arthur fell back in a thud. "Alright, li'l missy, I'll just stay put," he said with a raised brow. He was amused at her determination. Honestly, he thought it was adorable to see her care for him.

(Y/n) place a hand under his chin to turn his head aside. Their faces were inches apart as she began to dab the cloth onto the cut. Yes, Arthur did scrunch his face every now and then because of the sting, but overall, he stayed still. Nearly finishing up, (Y/n) asked, "are you hurt anywhere else that I should know of?"

Arthur smiled, "I don't believe so. And if I did, what makes you think I'd say anything?" He pointed to the cloth in her hand, "that shit hurts, you know." He was closing in on the space that separated their faces.

"Really?" Chuckled (Y/n) as she slid a hand onto his shoulder. "Then maybe I should inspect you all over on my own to be sure you aren't lying, Mister Morgan."

Her words sent a shock through his chest. Never did Arthur expect such a flirtatious reply to his playful teasing. He could feel his face getting red and began to feel anxious. He nervously laughed, "o-oh, well, I promise you that I ain't lyin'. But you're more than welcome to double check." He tried to keep his composure but decided to break away from her touch.

(Y/n) laughed, "alright, Arthur, I'll remember that for later. Anyway, what are you planning to do now?" She was concerned for his safety, considering the Braithwaites and Grays were set to kill any one of them.

Arthur stopped in his tracks. "How about we work on your shooting." He turned to face her. "Things are gettin' worse by the second. It's best if you know how to take care of yourself and know how to handle a gun." He nudged his head, signaling for (Y/n) to follow him to their horses.

"So, we're heading where?" She asked

He answered, "We're gonna head on to Saint Denis to buy you a firearm and then head over to the grasslands to shoot." Arthur explained, "I know it's a bit farther out, but it's better that way. We can't stop at Rhodes now, at least for a long while until things simmer down."

She took in the information. "Makes enough sense. Let's just hurry then, I'm looking forward to learning."

Arthur looked over his shoulder to (Y/n). "You are? Why so much enthusiasm?" He knew she was interested in learning how to survive on her own, but she seemed more excited about the opportunity than ever.

"I'm tired of feeling helpless. I want to be capable of fighting on my own, you know?" She said.

"I see," Arthur nodded, "well, it may be tricky at the start, but we'll get a gun fit for you." He was glad she was willing to learn at least. It would have been harder to teach if she was not interested anyway.

(Y/n) added on, "also, I'd like to know just in case I have to put a bullet in Micah's head." Ever since he attacked her at the camp, she has never trusted that man. He had a crazed look in his eyes, like he was heartless.

Arthur shook his head, "yeah, that man is somethin' else and nothin' really good. I don't think we'd need to go to that extreme but, "he laughed, " we just gotta watch him." Then it got quiet.

"(Y/n), I promise you," said Arthur, "I won't let him or anyone else hurt you." He could sense from her silence how affected she was from Micah's act. It was a terrible sight, but it must have been an even worse experience.