Red Dead Redemption II Preferences and Oneshots 3

Charles Smith: A Little Too Much

Charles Smith X Female Reader

Summary: you have low honour, arguably worse than Micah, but Charles still finds himself liking you.

Word Count: 4200

Everyone in the Van der Linde gang knew that you were beyond rough around the edges. Everyone knew that you liked to cause trouble, that your temper had a short fuse, and that the resulting fights always ended in blood and leaving somebody unconscious, in the best case scenario.

Most people only saw that side of you, mainly because it was the only side you showed anyone. However, Charles saw more. He saw what you didn't want people to see. At first he only saw what everyone saw, your mean and sharp exterior, but it was your soft spot for animals that caught his eye.

A stray dog had wandered into the camp one day and Jack had convinced Dutch to keep him, calling him Cain. Micah threatened the dog almost daily, most of the gang ignored him apart from a handful. It was late at night when Charles saw you with Cain, sitting on the floor with the dog on your lap, feeding him scraping and smiling as he licked at you. Charles had also noticed your bond with your horse, something you were less secretive about, and found it endearing.

Charles knew that animals were a good judge of character, that's why Cain always avoided Micah but the dog seemed to love you. He often sat beside you, resting his chin on your knee while you scratched behind his ear. Charles had once caught you sneaking the dog scraps of food, maybe that was when Charles started to become more interested in you.

- - - - -

You and Charles had just gone on a job, that went flawlessly by the way, and were now sitting in the town's saloon. It wasn't the first time you had run a job with Charles or visited the saloon with him. Admittedly, you were surprised by Charles' willingness to have you has his partner. God knows everyone else is reluctant to run a job with you, never mind suggest spending more time with you in a saloon. You didn't know why Charles was so willing but you decided not to dwell on it.

Usually your visits to the saloon were quiet, neither you or Charles talking much. He never talked much anyway and you rarely did if you weren't running your mouth, so you mostly sat in silence. Today was no different. Well, it wasn't any different until some man who had a few too many drinks stumbled over to the bar.

The man stumbled up to the bar, leaning over it to order his drink and simultaneously knocking right into your shoulder.

"Watch it, asshole" you snapped, missing the way Charles sighed to himself.

"What? I ain't mean nothin'" the man defended himself as he turned to face you. "But...while I'm here...how 'bout I offer ya some company?" he suggested, leaning his weight against the bar.

"She has company" Charles spoke up, only glancing away from his drink for a moment.

"I weren't talking to you" the man's look hardened as he looked over at Charles, his expression softening again when he looked at you. In that second, you decided that this man was bad news.

"And I ain't talking to you" you told him, giving him the chance to just walk away.

"But I'm talking to you" he slurred, sliding his hand along the bar and leaning over you.

"Fuckin' hell" you muttered. You tried, you really did, you would have let it slide but now, no way. You tipped your head back as you finished the rest of your drink, slamming the glass back down on the bar.

"Damn, you can really put them away" the man complimented. Was it a compliment? Sure, why not?

"Uh-huh" you nodded as you stood up from the bar stool.