Inferno | Dutch van der Linde x Reader

Chapter 68. The Simple Life

The snowstorm had died down completely after a few days. You'd told Dutch of your adventures, and about some of the more interesting bounty cases you had. The simple life was great, with no external influences around him he was very pleasant to be with. He listened, he cared and he lived in the moment.

He'd been uneasy about you leaving to go to town to pick up some bounties and items from the store, he hadn't admitted it but you assumed he'd thought you wouldn't come back. You managed to convince him eventually.

It was nice to be in a more comfortable climate around familiar faces, and the sheriff was glad to see you were still alive. You told him that you'd searched all over, but there'd been no sign of Dutch van der Linde anywhere.

There was a letter for you at the post office from Tilly. She was almost done with her pregnancy and couldn't wait to meet her baby. She informed you that she'd ran into Charles in Saint Denis and that he'd gone back for Arthur's body and dug him a grave after what happened. She also included a small map with the location marked on it.

Surely, Dutch would want to go with you. You spent a night away from him in the hotel, managing to complete two of the bounties you'd found which lined your pockets nicely. You hadn't told him you'd be away for that long, and decided to buy him some spare clothes along with a load of cigars to apologise; he'd been rationing them as he was close to running out.

As you neared the mountains, you savoured the last of the warm air before the temperature dropped and the snow began to appear on the ground.

It took some thinking for you to navigate your way back, it was dark the last time you'd made this journey so there were a few wrong turns. You found the small open area in the forest eventually and realised you'd gone too far to the right as the cabin was up ahead on your left. Dutch was pacing outside when he turned to see you on your horse.

"Don't do that to me again," he sighed with relief.

You couldn't help but laugh, as you dismounted from Artemis. "Sorry," you planted a kiss on his cheek, "there were two easy bounties, I couldn't pass them up. Besides," you reached into your saddlebag for the cigars, and presented them to him.

You could tell he was thankful, even if he was still agitated at you leaving him for longer than you said you would. "I guess you're forgiven," he said as you led Artemis into the stable and gave her some treats.

As you unpacked the provisions at the counter, Dutch came up behind you and slid his hands around your waist and kissed the back of your head.

"I got a letter from Tilly in town," you picked it up and opened it, so he could read it over your shoulder. "Pregnant? She'll be a great mother," he remarked proudly. You could tell he'd gotten to the part about Arthur, he stiffened up and moved his hand from you to hold the letter as though he was re-reading it.

"Arthur," he breathed.

"I'd like to go," you began. "It's not far from here, just a short journey east."

"Arthur," he repeated.

You took the letter from his hands and turned to face him. "Come with me."

He paused, before nodding his head. He moved away from you and began to pack.

"You want to go now?" you asked.

"Before I lose my nerve."

You were quite tired from the days you had, but it wasn't worth risking Dutch changing his mind. You joined him and packed some of the provisions back into your satchel that you'd just put away.