Wild Things (Arthur Morgan x Female Reader)

Beggars and Choosers

"Alright, O'Driscoll, come out from behind there!"

You wouldn't even if you could. 'Cause whoever is barking orders at you is more apt to shoot first, ask questions later. You dare not move from behind the table, as it hides your sorry...well...hide.

Just as they take another step closer you hear another set of footsteps. "Arthur!"

You hear a small gasp, then a sigh. "Hell, Marston! I told you to take Kieran back to camp!"

The raspy voice you heard earlier, now named Marston, replies with an excuse, "I heard the gunshot."

"You don't think I can take care of myself? I don't need someone worryin' over me like you do."

"Shut up, Morgan."

You can't believe it. Then again, you can. Fate seems to be toying with you again and again. How are you going to handle it this time?

The outlaw, once debt collector and hunter, calls to you once more. "Alright, now, I ain't gonna warn you again!"

You hear the cocking of another gun. "I'll just cover you, Arthur."

You hear a few more steps, then in a swift motion, the table is flipped away from you, revealing your bound form.

Marston swears under his breath. "A woman?" He pauses a moment to see your condition and the freshly-stitched scars on his face excentuate the anger expressed on it. "These O'Driscolls ain't nothing but—but—"

"What're you doin' here?" Arthur asks you.

Marston does a double take. "You know this woman?"

Arthur turns to his...you don't know...fellow gang member? "Regretfully, yes." You hear a mumbled, Why am I ain't surprised? Under Marston's breath, but Arthur either ignores it or doesn't hear. He looks back at you. "What are you doin' here?"

You blow stray hairs from your face. "I should be asking' you the same question, Mr. Morgan."

He squints at you. "Where did you hear that?"

You glare right back. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Marston, now disinterested with the banter, begins to search the cabin, presumably for loot, starting with the the area around the bed, and spots the scattered cash.

With his pistol, Arthur flippantly gestures to the ropes binding you. "And I guess this was part of some big plan? Gettin' yourself captured by O'Driscolls?"

"It ain't one of my best moments, but no. I was—" You stop yourself. Are you really about to reveal that you were out to look for him? You just witnessed a bad game of poker, you know better than to show your cards. "I was going home."

Arthur harrumphs and eyes you for a minute. What is he thinking? Is he trying to figure out how to do away with you once and for all? The Pinkerton Agent's words play back in your mind. "...degenerate murderer..."

You decide to keep him talking and gesture to the knife with your chin. "I was tryin' to get that knife stuck in the table. I was gonna cut myself free."

He looks in that direction and nods. Then looks back at you. "Why did they tie you up, you ain't dangerous, is you?"

"Arthur...?" Marston speaks, his voice raising.

You ignore him and respond to Arthur. "That depends on who crosses me..."

You see a smile tug on the corner of his mouth. Well, at least he ain't scowling at you. His smile, though under undesired circumstances, is a welcome sight to any of them O'Driscolls drooling over you.