Red Dead Redemption 2 One-Shots

Bill Williamson: Reunite

Summary: As everyone is choosing their sides, you get thrown into the middle. You can't choose between the outlaw you've fallen for and the friends who have stuck by your side through this. After a few years, Bill finds you.

Things were getting worse within the gang. The camp was clearly splitting and there was nothing you could do to fix it. Arthur was getting sicker and Bill had been distancing himself due to the building stress. 

It was early, the sun hadn't fully rose yet but it was growing lighter outside. You stood by the entrance of camp and sighed. At the beginning there wasn't much use for guard duty, the only people who seemed to show up were O'Driscolls. They normally scampered off after being threatened anyway. Now... well now we had to hope you could yell faster than the Pinkertons would shoot. That is if the rest of the gang didn't shoot each other first. 

The sound of a snapping twig made you spin and aim at the approaching figure. "It-It's just me" Arthur choked. "You really should be resting" you stated as you lowered the rifle. He waved a hand as he coughed into his sleeve. "I'll be fine." You rolled your eyes, "No you'll be dead, now get" you said trying to shoo the outlaw away. 

Before you would have welcomed the company. Handed over some bourbon and had some laughs, now you can't remember the last time you had laughed with Arthur Morgan. 

"I need you to do somethin for me" he said. You turned and faced the ill man, his once shiny brown hair now seemed dull. His expression, while serious, was exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot, and even in the dim light of early morning, you could tell he was coming to the end of his fight. 

"What is it Arthur?" you asked. "Get out of here" he said, his tone almost pleading. "What?" you asked. "Arthur I can't just go!" 

Arthur shook his head, "You need to, you've got a life ahead of you. This....This here, is done. It was a fantasy, and it's endin fast." He said. Tears welled in your eyes and you shook your head, "I cain't just leave everyone Arthur" you stated once more. "Then try and talk Bill into leavin with ya, but if you stay, they'll pull you down and you won't ever get the life you deserve to be livin" he retorted. 

Arthur stuffed a wad of money into your hands, "This should do you for a bit, just don't stay here Y/N" he said with a cough. As you began to cry he gently patted your head, "It'll be fine" he sighed. You watched as he walked away, leaving you with millions of thoughts running through your head. 

You shoved the money into your tucked shirt, hoping it would stay there until you got back to your tent. You kept thinking of anything you could do, but you knew he was right. Dutch wasn't Dutch anymore. He wasn't the same man who smiled kindly at you when he first found you in Montana. With Micah in his ear, there's no hope. 

You knew Arthur was right, that you should leave and not look back. Yet, as you walked back into camp, switching duty over to Javier, you knew there'd be one thing that would stop you. 

"Y/N" Bill called. He sat at the fire and took a deep drink of the beer he was holding. "Good morning" you spoke softly and kissed his cheek. He mumbled something about missing you beside him in bed last night and you just hummed a small response. "You alright?" he asked looking at you sitting beside him. 

"Yeah, I-I'm just tired s'all" you answered. It wasn't a lie, but it also wasn't the truth. You hated to lie to him, but something in you knew he wouldn't leave. You stared up at the burly man. He had lost a bit of weight and his beard had grown unruly. The past few weeks were hard on his as well. He hadn't shown much affection lately, but you blamed the aura of camp. 

Everything was tense. You kissed him, his lips tasted distinctly of beer. "I am going to lay down" you whispered. Bill lightly touched your arm as you stood and walked away from the fire. You felt like the weight of the world was pushing you down as you moved across camp. The decision and Arthur's words kept you from sleeping much.