Like The Wind (Arthur Morgan x Outlaw Reader) Red Dead Redemption 2

four

It was no surprise that alarm and shock were plastered onto the expressions of the gang upon arriving at Horseshoe Overlook, with Ace gently tethering Scarlet and an injured Arthur. What was supposed to only be a hunting trip, ended up being a bullet frenzy encounter with their rival gang, the O'Driscolls. You just hoped that Dutch wouldn't kill you now that his right hand man was injured. 

The woman called Susan Grimshaw was the first one to urgently get Arthur off of Scarlet. You didn't need to ask how she felt just looking at her alarmed expression. "What happened, Mr. Morgan?!" 

"The new feller already decided to shoot ya' instead of 'em animals?" A man that you've just seen bellowed out as he drank from his beer bottle. His large belly protruded out from his tucked in pants. A little more movement, and you felt that his suspenders were going to snap in half. 

You glared at the man as he slumped his bottom onto a nearby bench. The tone from his question was nothing short but condescending. You you could already tell that he despised having a 'young feller' taken into the camp.

"Shut the hell up, Bill." Arthur winced in between the pains that he felt, with Lenny and Miss Grimshaw leading him towards his personal quarters. 

"They was damn O'Driscolls. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be back in here alive." 

The man named Bill almost choked into his beer from his defeat. You couldn't help but smiled smugly at the larger man now that his cocky trap was shut.

Your gaze then averted towards Arthur, now disappearing from your sights as Miss Grimshaw led him inside his tent. Guilt washed over your very being, with you feeling responsible for getting Arthur into this kind of situation. If you would have acted sooner instead of thinking about risking your true identity, then Arthur wouldn't have been shot. 

Painful wines and groans emitted from Arthur's tent as the head lady of the camp had treated his wound. Assuming that she had finally taken the bullet out and cleansed the fresh open wound. 

You figured you'd distance yourself from everyone for a few days, especially Dutch. Maybe by now he was thinking that it was a mistake to take you into their camp.

***

A few days had finally passed, with you being successful at avoiding the other gang members. There were the occasional times that Lenny would greet you, and had sometimes even gone out of his way to give you meals that were prepared for the day. Other times, the other members had taken the time to quickly introduced themselves to you. But made it no more than a few minutes as they figured you needed some space to yourself.

You and Arthur had not exchanged any sort of conversation those few days, but it had given you the time to recollect yourself, and think of how you can better yourself for next time. If there was even a next time...

You stood by the lake of Horseshoe Overlook, watching the ripples of the body of water dance along the cool summer morning breeze. The sounds of of the waves gently crashing against the shore had further relaxed you, causing you to close your (eye color) eyes in an entranced state. 

"You wanted to be called stranger, am I right son?" An all too familiar voice called out from behind you.

An unwanted lump formed in your throat, wincing from how that voice rang in your ears. This was the last person who you wanted to talk to at this time. You slowly turned around to face the refined-looking gang leader, "Y-yes, Dutch sir."

"No need for the formalities, son. Just Dutch is fine." His tone almost sounded assuring, a little too assuring that it concerned you. 

"Dutch..." You gulped the lump in your throat before continuing to explain yourself, "I-I swear, I didn't mean for Arthur to get shot by them damn O'Driscolls! If I had acted sooner, then Arthur would never have gotten-"

"Relax, son!" The man in black bellowed out a laugh, placing his hand onto your shoulder, "Arthur told me everything. If it weren't for your quick thinking with a gun, then Arthur would have gotten more than just a shoulder wound."

Your tensed shoulders had managed to loosen up, with Dutch's words comforting you even the slightest. This came off as a surprise as what you thought his initial reaction would have been.

"Come have a word with me, son." Dutch wrapped an arm around your shoulders, like that of a father guiding his young child somewhere. "I know you're new around here, but I think your role for this family is definitely gonna be of utmost importance."

Upon arriving at the gang leader's personal quarters, you spotted four faces. Lenny, who you had grown a close friendship with within the few days you've stayed in camp. An older man, who was introduced to you by the name of Hosea Matthews. Another man who's right side of his face was filled with scars and greasy hair named John Marston, and... Arthur. Averting your gaze towards the handsome, and still injured outlaw, he flashed you a proud smile, as if he was thanking you for your actions a few nights ago. 

"Now gentlemen." Dutch broke the silence, glancing towards your direction. "We owe our thanks to this young feller here for saving Arthur."

"Arthur would have been good as dead if it weren't for you, stranger." Hosea spoke up. His voice radiated with warmth and gentleness similar to a father who was proud of his child.

"This idiot barely needs any rescuin' and here you are saving him." John almost stifled a laugh.

"With that said, gentlemen." Dutch continued more onto the main subject now, "with Stranger here saving our most important member, I figured he should come along with us to do more riskier jobs."

"You think it's a good idea to bring the kid along, Dutch?" Arthur finally spoke up, the first time you've heard his voice after a few days, his tone had somewhat displayed concern.

"He's easily killed those O'Driscolls for you, Arthur." The wise Hosea reassured. In which, the cowboy had immediately relaxed. It seemed that he had a great amount of trust with the fatherly-like man. 

"I have some information from a feller I met a few days ago about this strange couple who owns a pig farm stacked with cash." Dutch announced as he slowly lowered himself onto his chair. "I figured we have Lenny, John, and Stranger here to get the job done and collect all that money and get the hell out of there."

"What's with the rush, Dutch?" Lenny had noticed the sudden change of tone with the gang leader's voice

"The feller I met told me that their visitors disappear. I reckon the three of y' come up with a convincin' act and run like hell after getting that money."

"Sounds good to me, Dutch." You nodded in agreement. This had excited you to the core, it had been quite awhile since you've done a robbery just like this, 10 years to be exact. Sure, you've done a few stagecoach robberies (which were unguarded) here and there, but nothing like stealing some people's money with other people this time. It kind of felt like you were doing a robbery with your outlaw mother all over again.

Apologies for another boring filler chapter! I promise that the next chapters will be more interesting. Arthur and the gang will finally find out that y/n is actually a girl! I want Arthur and y/n's slow burn love to be interesting and I hope it's kind of unique? It'll make more sense in the next few chapters 😂