Arthur spent a lot of time in Valentine. He camped outside of town and made money by doing odd jobs around town when asked. He really became a yes man in his old age. His old age of 15, that is.
Besides being kind of nice, helping people for a few cents, he was also becoming quite the thief. Pickpocketing people around town, swiping food into his bag when the general store owner's back is turned, mediocre stuff. He had a perfect record too, never caught, until one faithful day.
It was June again. Arthur was a sentimental boy, so he wanted to maybe buy a candy bar or something for his birthday.
That faithful day, he walked into the store, per usual. He grabbed some cans of his food, and, when he thought the shopkeeper's back was turned, he swiped the candy bar and put it in his bag.
He went up, paid, but as he was putting his cans in his bag, of course the shopkeeper would notice the candy bar.
"What's that you got there, boy?" the shopkeeper asked him, suspicious.
"Nothing sir!" Arthur replied quickly, attempting to shut his bag before anything worse could happen.
Before he could, however, the store owner reached across the counter, and held his bag open. The man chuckled. "I thought I saw you stealing, but now I have evidence."
Arthur was at a loss for words. This wasn't good at all. "I-I... I don't..."
"No point in denying it, boy!" the storekeeper threatened, pulling out his revolver that he kept under the counter. "We're taking you down to the sheriff!"
As soon as the man stepped out from behind the desk to escort Arthur down the road, two men walked into the store.
They looked familiar, but then Arthur remembered that they were the men he saw on the walk from Aurora Ridge to Valentine! It was the man with the slicked back black hair and the slightly taller, older man with the light brown hair.
"What's going on here?" the shorter of the two, with the dark hair, asked.
"This boy here is a thief. Stay out of it so I can take him down to the sheriff's," the store keeper replied, clearly angry and impatient.
Arthur finally found his voice. "I ain't no thief, sir!"
"Bullshit!" the shopkeeper yelled. "I saw you swipe that chocolate!"
Arthur's heart was pounding. With the rate this was going, the whole damn town was going to know what's going on.
"You're pointing a gun at him for chocolate?" the older man asked, laughing. "It's 50 cents!"
The shopkeeper paused for a second with a grumble. Arthur silently thanked God for this man, whoever he was.
"Here," the dark haired man said, tossing the store keeper some coins. "This'll pay for it. Now let the kid go."
The shopkeeper grumbled a bit more before holstering his gun. Before he walked away, he lent down to Arthur's ear. "If I see you stealing one more time, ain't nobody gonna be allowed to help you," he hissed into Arthur's ear.
"Yessir," Arthur mumbled, before going to exit the store. The dark haired man followed.
"Not even a thank you?" the man asked, following Arthur outside onto the porch.
Arthur turned red. "Thank you, sir. I'm sorry."
The man laughed. "It's no problem, son. Is there a reason why you were stealin'?"
"Well, um, it was my birthday the other day," Arthur replied, awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pockets. "And I wanted to get something for myself, but I couldn't afford it, so..."
The man sighed. "Just don't do it again."
"Yessir."
Arthur wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere, so he sat down on the bench, pulled out his journal, and started doodling.
"Is it okay if I sit down here?" the same man asked. What the hell was he still doing here, Arthur wondered.
Arthur nodded quietly. Before he knew it, he started drawing the man. He didn't think about how weird it was, until the other brought it up.
"That's very good looking, there," the man said to him quietly.
"Thank you sir."
The man continued talking. "I'm waiting for my associate to finish shopping. He always takes a while."
Arthur nodded, half listening.
"Do you have a name, son?" the man asked.
Arthur looked up. No one ever asked. What was his name? Oh yeah. "Arthur Morgan, sir."
"Dutch Van Der Linde," the man replied, reaching out his hand to shake.
Arthur accepted it. His hand seemed little compared to the other's.
They sat quietly, Arthur doodling some birds and such, while Dutch just watched the people and the traffic roll by.
After a little while, Dutch's associate exited the store. Dutch stood, so Arthur naturally did the same, wanting to get on the men's good side.
"And that would be my associate, Hosea Matthews!" Dutch turned to Hosea. "Hosea, meet this young chap here, Arthur Morgan."
Arthur awkwardly shook hands with Hosea as well.
"We should be off," Hosea said to Dutch.
"Of course!" Dutch replied. "Good bye Mr. Morgan."
"Good bye," Arthur replied, tucking his journal into his bag. "Thank you Mr. Van Der Linde and Mr. Matthews for helping me today."
Dutch waved to him as he got onto his white horse and rode off with Hosea.
Despite that being one of the weirdest interactions of his life, Arthur hoped he would see them again someday.
YOU ARE READING
Bad Beginnings (A RDR2 Fanfic)
Fanfiction--- "Do you have a name, son?" the man asked. Arthur looked up. No one ever asked. What was his name? Oh yeah. "Arthur Morgan, sir." "Dutch Van Der Linde," the man replied, reaching out his hand to shake. Arthur accepted it. His hand seemed little...
