Legends of The Wild, Wild West (Arthur Morgan x John Marston)

One Sky

"Psst! Arthur!" a raspy voice called out.
"Mmmmm..."
"Arthur! Wake up!" the voice whispered again.
"Huh? John?"
Arthur awoke in his tent to the the sound of these whispers.
He sat up shirtless in his bed and looked around, but found no one.
"Arthur!" The voice called again, this time seemingly coming from the outside.

Arthur quickly got up and popped his head out of the tent flap to see what was going on.
"What?" He asked John, who was standing right outside.
"Get dressed and come see me by the horses. Quick.
"Wh- now? It's almost dawn." Arthur replied, as he looked around at the empty camp.
No one was awake. All the candles and fires were put out. There was only pitch black silence.

"Yes, now. Come on."
"Alright, alright..." Arthur groaned as he went back in and put on a shirt and his boots.

This better not be just a booty call.

Arthur got out of the tent and made his way to his horse.
"No, you're riding with me" John said, as he extended a hand to help Arthur on Old Boy.
Arthur got on the horse behind John, riding away, still looking confused and sleepy.
"So? Where are you taking me at this hour?" Arthur asked.
"You'll see." John replied smugly.
"Johnny, I'm too sleep deprived to be playing these games."
"I promise you, no games."
Arthur noticed the bag that was tied to Old Boy's saddle. It looked heavy.
"What's that?" He asked.
"You will know soon enough. Have some patience, we're almost there."

After a few more minutes of riding, they finally reach their destination: Flatneck Station.
"The train station? You know we can't travel... we're still wanted men."
"I know." John said as he got off the horse and proceeded to carry the bag. "That tower, come on" he gestured.

Arthur looked at the old watchtower and scratched his chin in confusion.
Just what the hell was John Marston up to?

He followed John and climbed the very, very high watchtower after him.

When they finally reached the top, John immediately opened the bag and took out an old blanket and spread it on the wooden floor.
He then took out some cooked game and some plates he stole from camp, and set them on the blanket.
And finally, to finish the ensemble, he brought out two large white candles, lit them, and placed them in a corner.
John finally sat down at one end of the blanket and looked at Arthur who was still standing.

Arthur was flabbergasted.
"What is this all for?"
"Well, you said you wanted us to do something together... alone. So I thought I'd pitch in too."
Arthur took off his hat and looked at the food.
"I, uh, cooked these myself. I think they came out pretty well. I even added some herbs an' stuff."
Arthur sat down opposite to John, still worryingly silent.
"Do you... not like it?" John asked hesitantly.
Arthur looked at him emotionlessly.
"John... this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."
John smiled.
"Good. I brought some booze with me... you know, in case you didn't."
Arthur smiled, now with his eyes beginning to glitter.
"You know me too well" he chuckled.
John's cheeks were now covered with a faint red tint
"Alright, eat up. I still have another surprise for you." John said, taking off his leather gloves.
——
After finishing their pleasant meal, John looked at his pocket watch.
It was time.
He immediately stood up and looked outside the window.
"Arthur, come."
Arthur dusted his hands off and got up next to John.
"Look" John pointed at the breathtakingly beautiful starry sky.

"Woah.." Arthur exclaimed, leaning forward behind John, hugging him from the back while they watched the stars together.
"During my year apart from y'all I used to come up here everyday by myself, after Abigail had gone to sleep." John said, leaning his head on Arthur's. "I used to do a lotta thinkin' here, y'know, about what I'm gon' do, but mainly, I just thought of you."
"How so?" Arthur asked.
"I needed to figure things out for myself... Abigail... this kid that she said was mine..." John said, turning around to face Arthur.
"I also needed to figure out how or why I felt the things I was feelin' for you."
John sighed and sat down on the floor, leaning his back below the window.
"Being up here made it easier to think with a clearer mind."
"And did you figure out any of those things?" Arthur asked, sitting himself next to John.
"Not even one," John chuckled, "I just knew that you was out there somewhere, doin' God knows what, under the very same sky. That thought was comforting enough for me."
John looked at his man, who was awfully quiet, only to find tears welling up in his eyes.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Said John, cupping Arthur's face in his palm.
"I'm just sad I'd spent that year being mad at you instead of looking for you. We wasted so much time."
"And we got plenty more still." John whispered to Arthur in his lips, before planting a passionate kiss on them.