*Credit to @foundynnel for the amazing edit above.
**Photo taken by me at the top of a hike at Lake Tahoe. Please do not repost.
đŠđđŠ Reblogs very sincerely appreciated đŠđđŠ
Treasure to Me (Also on Ao3.) Arthur Morgan x Female Reader | 1899 | ongoing | Rating: Mature
Summary: Reader struggles with severe body image issues and low self-worth and loves Arthur but is convinced heâs too good for her. Arthur does his best to comfort her and set her straight.
Chapter 1Â Â |Â Â Chapter 2Â Â |Â Chapter 3Â Â |Â Â Chapter 4Â Â |Â Chapter 5Â Â |Â Chapter 6Â | Â Chapter 7Â Â |Â Â Chapter 8 | Chapter 9
One-shots / Few-shots
Duet Arthur x Female reader | modern | complete | Rating: Mature
Summary: Arthur takes you out for a much-needed fancy date. Though you both thoroughly enjoy the whole evening, youâre both eager to get home and make love. When you finally arrive home, Arthur invites you to take a steamy shower with him.
Part 1 | Part 2
Rocketsâ Red Glare Arthur x Female reader | Rating: Teen | modern | Summary: Arthur and reader invite John, Abigail, and Jack over to their property for a little Fourth of July celebration, complete with at-home fireworks.
I Was Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Arthur x Female reader | modern | complete | Rating: Mature
Summary: On Christmas Eve, Arthur & readerâs toddler son hears laughter in the house, though everyoneâs supposed to be asleep. When he crawls to the stairs to take an investigative peek, he spies something very shocking and funny!
Chapter 1Â | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
Anthologies
Morgan & Family (Fluff Dump) Arthur x female reader | ongoing | Overall rating: Gen - Teen
Part 1: "Arthur bathes his infant daughter in the shower and sings to her" (modern)
Part 2: "What a Life" (modern)
Part 3: "Sweet Love" (modern)
Scootin' Boots & Meet-Cutes Arthur x female reader | ongoing | Current overall rating: Gen
Part 1: "Aisle Be Yours"
To Share a Smile (Also on Ao3.)Â Arthur Morgan x Female Reader | modern | ongoing | Rating: Teen +
Summary: Arthurâs & Readerâs first date in a modern AU, featuring deep insecurities, fears, and misunderstandings on both sides. Reader Is plus-sized and wears glasses.
Chapter 1Â Â |Â Â Chapter 2Â Â |Â Chapter 3
Yeehawgust 2022:Â
Day 1: Meowdy!  |  Day 2: Cowboy Casanova  |  Day 3: Tequila Sunrise  |  Day 4: Strange Hoofbeats
Yeehawgust 2025:
Day 1: Stars of the Midnight Range | Day 2: Running with the Wolves | Day 3: Horsin' Around | Day 5: Boot Scootin' Boogie
Blindly Running Down Disaster Road (series)  The works can be read in their current order, but if youâd like to read strictly by chronological timeline of Arthurâs life, read: 1) Part 1 of âDisaster Road,â 2) âOnly Fools Hold Onto Hope,â 3) Part 2 of âDisaster Road,â 4) âDreams to Daylightâ
Disaster Road (1st work in series. Complete. Also on Ao3.)Â RDR2 | Relationships: Arthur Morgan x Mary Gillis Linton; Arthur Morgan x Eliza; Arthur Morgan & Isaac Morgan | Rating: Teen/Mature
Summary: A glimpse at Arthurâs relationships with the two women in his life (Mary and Eliza), in different seasons.
Authorâs note: When I first wrote this work right after my first playthrough in 2018, this was my way of wrestling with the concept of honor as it affected Arthurâs character. I thought about cleaning it way up before posting on tumblr, but I think the journey of my writing since then (hopefully) documents some of my writing growth over the last few years.
Disaster Road Chapterlist
Only Fools Hold onto Hope (2nd work in series. Complete. Also on Ao3.)Â RDR2 | Relationships: Arthur Morgan x Eliza; Arthur Morgan & Isaac Morgan | Rating: Mature
Summary: Arthurâs experiences with Eliza & Isaac after meeting her and during his visits. Seeks to honor Eliza & Isaac and offer both their perspectives and a peek into Arthurâs reasonings as to why he never settled down with them. Full of family fluff and angst.
Only Fools Hold onto Hope Chapterlist
Dreams to Daylight (3rd work in series. Complete. Also on Ao3.)Â RDR2 | Relationships: Arthur Morgan x Eliza; Arthur Morgan / Isaac Morgan; Arthur Morgan & Original character | Rating: Mature
Summary: After having lost Eliza & Isaac and avenging their deaths, Arthur struggles to cope and keeps his grief intensely private, refraining from even journaling about them. His intense emotions grapple with him until they leak into his dreams, the only outlet heâs left for them. Memories first, then regrets, then wishes and lovely imaginings for what couldâve been.
Dreams to Daylight Chapterlist
Requests / Headcanons / Random Scenes
Arthur x f!Reader Trick-or-Treat Headcanon (1899)
The Morgan Family Goes Fishing (Arthur, Eliza, Isaac, & Hope)
hihi everyone! â€ïž
i've been thinking about writing something for tumblr recently, and i don't know exactly what i should write, because i have some options, and i can't choose between them.
so, i'm asking you:
what should i write?
đ arthur morgan x gunslinger gf reader (fluff headcanons)
đ° charles smith x gn baker reader (fluff oneshot)
đeagle flies x fem reader (fluff oneshot [? potentially just headcanons])
đ„§ lenny summers x gn author reader (fluff headcanons)
đ multi-character fluff headcanons
Voting ended onJul 17, 2024
if you have any other ideas or don't like this selection of characters, please just send me an ask with who and what you want! â€ïž ÂŽâĄ`
My modern AU set in Norway, that I've been working on between AV the past couple months. Yeah, set in Norway, that's right, because why not?? First chapter is up!!
Some info under the read more;
Main ships:
Charthur, Jovier, MacSummers, TillyBeth
Summary:
Deep in the fjords of Norway is Hjortevika, a small village with a population barely over two thousand, a half-hour drive from Vesterelv, which can at least boast being a fully-fledged town. The two spots hold little relevance to anyone outside the communities that live in them, with friends and family spread between the towns. Little of notice happens there beyond frequent breakups or the occasional friendly rivalry.
That is, until word breaks of a mining company possibly gaining a permit to start digging out one of the surrounding mountains, and the subsequent uproar gains national attention.
Arthur Morgan is a car enthusiast and mechanic unafraid to dip into the illegal side of things, where thereâs money to be earned. He lives at the edge of Hjortevika with his two younger half-brothers, John Marston and Sean MacGuire, while their half-sister Tilly Jackson has just recently moved to Vesterelv for work.
Follow the four siblings through a whirlwind week which promptly turns their lives upside down, as a municipality rallies, a video goes viral, friends laugh, strangers meet, and acquaintances reconnect.
(Bounty Hunter!Sadie Adler, Deputy!f!Reader)
Warnings: NSFT (spanking, dom!sadie, fingering, improper uses of desks)
A/N: Literally just some self indulgent sadie because Iâm awful. itâs very to the point because i literally wrote the saucy part and forgot that i needed a beginning.Â
Word Count: 1133
You were sat behind the sheriffâs desk when the sound of the door opening caused you to look up. You smiled, recognizing the woman. âHeya, Sadie.â You greeted before frowning. âWe donât have any bounties for you this time, Iâm afraid.âÂ
âI know.â She sneered, pulling a folded poster out of her satchel. She unfolded it before almost smacking it down on the desk. âYou gave my bounty away to another hunter?â
You stood up now, moving around the desk as you looked down at the poster. âMrs. Adler, with all due respect-â A sudden gasp left you as Sadie pushed you over the sheriffâs desk, your face flushing as she pulled down your pants in one seamless tug. âS-Sadie-â
âYou gave my bounty away to another hunter.â She stated almost coldly, her accent thicker than usual. It normally was when she was upset. âWe had a deal, deputy.â Her hand came in contact with your ass with a loud smack, the sound filling the small town sheriffâs office.
You cried out, shifting as Sadie grabbed your wrists and held them behind your back, sounds of the bounty hunter shuffling reaching your ears as she pulled out rope from her satchel. It was then, as Mrs. Adler was tying your wrists together, you realized how exposed you were. It felt like your whole body was flushing with embarrassment now, your cheek squished against the wooden surface.
Sadie leaned over you, her hand rubbing the sore spot on your butt cheek. You felt her breath near your ear and you shuddered. âYou okay, honey?â She murmured, still rubbing the new mark on your bottom.
Your eyes closed as you shuddered once more. You opened them, glancing at the front door before you nodded. âY-yes.â
âGood.â Sadie pressed a kiss to the side of your neck before she leaned back and spanked you, causing you to cry out again. âMaybe youâll learn your lesson.â
âSadie, he- he was a bad-â you whimpered as she smacked your ass again, â-man! We had to get him in-â
âCouldnât just wait another day?â Her hand massaged the spot she had continuously smacked. âYou know I need the money, hon.â
You panted, trying to look back at the woman, but your position made it hard. âI didnât know when you would be back... the sheriff told me-â she smacked your ass again.
âYou do everything someone tells you?â
Your face flushed as you closed your eyes, your hips involuntary jerking down, looking for any sort of contact. âI-I try to-â
Smack. âApparently not, or you would have saved that bounty for me, right?â Sadie arched her eyebrows.
You nodded after a moment, your mind finally catching to that that was a question. âYes- yes, maâam, I wouldâve-â
Sadie watched you babble out your agreements, her lips twisting into a satisfied smirk. She cut you off, âYa know, hon, I think youâve learned your lesson.â She hummed, rubbing the spots she had hit you once more.
âYes, I did, I wonât- I wonât give your bounties awa-â A surprised moan cut you off, the feeling of two fingers plunging into your core, pressing against the sensitive areas inside of you.
Sadie chuckled as she leant over you, her fingers moving in a practiced motion that nevertheless made you writh under her. Her free hand reached around, rubbing your clit in neat circles that moved in time with her fingers.
A choked whine left you as your hips tried to move to meet Sadieâs hands, the feeling of the blondeâs body holding you down adding to the concoction of pleasure.
Sadie was nipping at the exposed flesh at the base of your neck before movement outside the window caught her attention. Across the street the sheriff was talking to someone, motioning towards the office before the conversation continued on the other side of the road. âAw, hon, you might want to hurry. Donât want your boss catchinâ you.â Her voice was sickingly sweet. âHeâs right across the street. Or would you like that?â
You clenched around Sadieâs fingers, shaking your head.
âReally? Because to me it feels like youâd love it.â
You groaned, your eyes rolling in the back of your head as your high rapidly approached. You didnât bother to answer Sadie, the feeling of the woman adding a third finger pushing you over. A choked moan left you as you climaxed, Sadie gently rubbing you through your high. âS- oh, God, Sadie-â
âIâm right here.â She murmured, slowing her movements as your legs started to stop shaking as violently. She pulled her hands from you, wiping them on the inside of your thighs before she pulled your pants up most of the way. âYou were a good girl for me.â
You shuddered at the feeling of your own slick against your leg, hesitantly moving to stand up straight. You stumbled a bit, your knees still weak from your climax, your face flushed with pleasure. âI tried to.â You mumbled, a relieved sigh leaving you as Sadie cut your wrists free. You pulled up your pants with shaking hands, redoing your belt and gun belt before you looked moved your attention to your wrists, your eyes widening at the sight of slight rope burn on your skin.
Sadie smirked as she watched you, now sheathing her knife and putting away the excess rope in her satchel before she helped you sit down in a chair. âHowâre you feeling?â She asked now, pushing your hair away from your sweat sheen forehead.
You looked up at her with a snort, a small smile tugging at your lips. âLoose.â
âLoose?â Sadie arched her eyebrows, smiling back down at you.
âYeah, and..â you flushed, glancing at the floor. âIâll remember not to uh,â
It was then the sheriff walked in, arching his eyebrows at the two of you. âMrs. Adler. Deputy L/N.â
âSheriff.â You responded, Sadie giving a nod in acknowledgment. âI was just telling Sa- Mrs. Adler about the bounty she missed.â
âOh, sorry about that, Sadie!â The sheriff sighed, sitting behind his desk now. âWe just really had to get him in as soon as possible.â
You watched as the man sat at the desk, your face starting to heat up once more.
âItâs fine, Sheriff. Canât get them all.â She gave him a smile before looking back at you, giving you a quick wink. âWell, I best be on my way. More criminals to catch, and such.â
âNice seeinâ you.â The sheriff chirped, now looking over paperwork he had pulled out from one of the desk drawers.
âYe-yeah! Bye, Sadie.â You nodded, tripping over your words as you tried to tug your sleeves down more to cover your wrists.Â
Sadie smirked, watching you fidget in your seat before she left.
(Thanks for clearing that up ^.^ i didn't mean to insinuate anything by it, just wanted to make sure I didn't make you uncomfortable before bursting into your asks~) //// On that note, would i be able to get a matchup? :) Im a gay trans man with long hair, on the slim side. I'm stubborn, wreckless, a bit of a hot-head and protective over the people I care about (which can put people off of me at first) but deep down i just want the best for everyone. I like to draw and write in my spare time~
Of course! Again, so sorry if Iâve been answering these requests slowly. Please stay safe out there, guys
I pair you with...
Arthur Morgan!Â
Arthur Morgan wonât deny that he first saw you as a male rendition of Sadie, your recklessness and bold attitude--the shoot first, talk later demeanor--it seemed familiar, not something he witnessed very rarely in camp.
But being the unofficial enforcer of the gang, he also found himself subconsciously keeping you in line. And one of the actual few to do so.Â
Arthur is a dangerous man. Heâs an outlaw whoâs been in such business for a long time, the man knows when and when not to use a headstrong approach.Â
Now, he isnât one to want to purposefully hold back a person, but he is one to ensure the people he knew stayed safe and very much alive.Â
Arthurâs level-headedness helped keep you in check: heâs tough enough to advise against your brazen personality and easy enough to also step back and let you do your thing.Â
Your dynamic remained like that at first, that fiery image is what he kept in his head for a while.Â
Till he managed to catch you drawing and writing in your book, leaning against a tree. Looking relaxed, and not as rough as you did on the frontiers.Â
For a moment, he saw himself in you.
Though he chose not to bother your privacy, he viewed you a bit differently after that, the longer you stayed in camp, the more your heart began to show.Â
The more he began to notice and appreciate it.
With all the time Arthur spent worrying about you, he also began to realize how often you would look out for him as well--for everyone else really.Â
When you werenât charging headfirst into an OâDriscoll camp, you were going around asking if others needed help.
--and if thereâs one thing Arthur could take a liking to, it was when he saw a good head on someoneâs shoulders.
What he really got him though was when you surprised everyone with a few gifts and tokens. The gang had just gone through a streak of lucky victories, and you wanted to celebrate a little by giving.
To his surprise, Arthur received a new journal, tied in with a number of well-crafted pencils.Â
âI noticed you were running out. I also like to write and draw in my spare time and I thought you might need them.âÂ
He was uncharacteristically speechless, a bit of a chuckling mess--Â âI donât--donât quite know what to say. This is mighty kind of you,â A little pause, âYou got a good head.â
That made you smile just slightly, âNot really. Sâjust... I wanted to thank you,â
 âFor always watching my back.â
Arthur rarely received much appreciation for the muscle he pulls in camp, so it was refreshing to see someone who was attentive to everyoneâs needs.
You began to get along well, if not better. Speaking more often, chiding each other more often.Â
You drew together sometimes, not to mention, you were both a blushing mess when he finally showed you some of his work. You knew how personal his journal was.Â
âWhy does this duck look all messy?âÂ
âWas movinâ too much in the lake, couldnât get a good look at it. I guess I got a bit frustrated after a while,â He chuckled.
âIt chased you didnât it?âÂ
âSure, made a meal out of it too.â
âPff-â
Everyone always pegged Arthur to be the protector of the camp. So, be still his heart, when you actually started to get protective over him.Â
He thought heâd be put off by it, but some part of him actually held a deep and vulnerable regard for it. To know that someone cares and values what he does--to acknowledge that some part of him was actually worth protecting, worth something.Â
Donât get him wrong, you werenât his savior, his beacon of light--no, you were his supporter. You didnât ridicule him for sketching flowers and animals and sceneries. You didnât ridicule him for his kindness. You were there for him, understanding his doubts and fears--because you worried for the camp as much as he did.
You were determined to stick by Arthur, always heeding him out when he would let his insecurities get the best of him. You were too stubborn to just let it slide.
âNone of that talk now, I ainât givin' up on you so donât give up on yourself neither.âÂ
When he talked about wanting to better himself--how he felt as though the life heâs been living was wrong. You gripped his hand and told him that you believed in him.Â
As time passed Arthur wanted to be the best version of himself, and you nudged him on as you went. Â
In his previous relationships, Arthur was more so a giver than a taker, but his relationship with you felt more like growing something together.Â
You confided in him when you felt angry, and he was there to help you see sense through it.Â
You confided in him when you felt isolated or different or judged, and he would listen, empathize--try to understand in his own way.Â
It was a very human, and unconditional relationship. Where you both ended up loving and accepting each other for who you are, and supporting what you both strived for.
Arthur would be reminded of you when he felt braver, less afraid.Â
This request was a bit of a challenge for me, I found myself in territory I really havenât tried before so it was a nice challenge! This particular request came from anon asking for what would happen if Arthur was helpless to watch the reader being tortured for information. There is mention of rape, but thatâs it. If you have requested a fic from me, I promise itâs in the drafts and will get out EVENTUALLY. I know I have requests that are older than this particular, but Iâm honestly posting them in order that I can get them done in time. If you have requested something from me, I promise Iâve started on it and plan on doing it for you, Iâm just a trash person who takes on more than they can handle. Anyways, this is my first oneshot Iâve done in awhile, so I hope everyone enjoys!
When Arthur came to, the first thing he noticed was he had been moved. He was no longer hanging upside down from his ankles, he was strapped sitting upright in a wooden chair. The thick ropes were tight against his chest, arms, and legs but he did feel some relief as his ankles throbbed in freedom. The next thing he noticed was Colm OâDriscoll standing directly in front of him. His relief disappeared, with Colm standing directly in front of him he knew he was in for worse torture than before. What else could they do to him at this point? Arthur had lost track of time. How many days had he been there? He had no clue, it felt like an eternity.
âGood evening Mr. Morgan.â Colm greeted him. His voice was smooth like silk but sly like a fox. He began to pace in front of Arthur, it reminded him of the way a wolf circles its prey. âIâve been thinkinâ as of late that our usual forms of torture just ainât cuttinâ in. Iâve spent the last few days tossinâ and turninâ in bed, rackinâ my brain to figure out just what I could do to break you.â He looked Arthur dead in the eye and approached him. âI thought about cuttinâ ya up limb by limb and sendinâ ya back to olâ Dutch piece by piece but Iâve done that before. Thought bout burninâ ya alive, but thatâs too quick. I even thought about givinâ ya to my boys and tellinâ em yo give ya the good olâ OâDriscoll treatment but then, fate decided to intervene and dealt me the best card in the deck.â He laughed and Arthur couldnât seem to find the humor in what he was saying. He grabbed Arthur by the hair and his face was inches from Arthurâs. He kept his eyes locked with Arthurâs as he spoke. âThis one wondered in at the perfect timing, bring her in boys.â Colm watched as Arthurâs face drop from a solid stoic grimace to horror as his boys dragged you in, kicking and screaming. For the first time, Colm saw fear in Arthurâs eyes and he knew he found it. Victory courses through Colinâs veins as he stood and turned to you. âNow young lady, youâve killed almost as many of my men as Mr. Morgan here. As much as Iâd love to kill you right here and now, I need you.â He turned back to Arthur. âIâm gonna take my time makinâ you bleed, and Mr. Morgan is gonna sit right there and have a front row seat for it all.â
When he turned back to face you, you spit in his face. âGo to hell, Colm.â
Arthur flinched as Colmâs fist came down hard on your temple and knocked you out instantly. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the spittle from his face. âWild one, that one is. I canât wait to hear her scream.â
âI swear to god Colm, if you hurt her-â Arthurâs voice was panicked and didnât sound at all as threatening as he had hoped.
âMy dear boy, I already hurt her. And Iâll do it again. Iâll keep doinâ it and youâll keep watchinâ until you tell me everything I need to know about our dear friend Dutch.â
Arthur pulled and struggled under the ropes, his panic was now full blown. He was prepared to die, prepared to let them give him everything they had and keep his lips tight. He was prepared to die a horrible painful death, but he had been prepared for it for years. This he was not prepared for. One blow was more than enough to make Arthur want to spew it all, seeing them carry away your limp body was enough to make him want to speak up, but he couldnât. He knew you would kill him yourself if he ever did, but his fear was tearing him apart from the inside. What were they gonna do to you? His thoughts were cut off as a hard blow was delivered to the back of his head.
He could hear before he could see or speak. A piercing scream brought him back to the surface of consciousness. His eyelids were heavy but he fought to open them. Another scream and his eyes flew open. You were strapped down to a chair in front of him. Your clothes had been torn and cut, leaving your midriff, arms, and legs exposed. He had never seen so much of your skin exposed and had it been any other situation he would be blushing furiously. His eyes focused and a deep fury built up inside of him. Your face was covered in bruises and dried blood. Colm was standing on one side of you and on the other was a man holding a branding iron. Colmâs eyes landed on Arthur and he smiled deviously. âWell now, didnât I tell ya all it would take would be a coupla screams to wake him up?â
âThat ya did, boss.â The man holding the branding iron responded.
âNow that youâre awake Mr. Morgan, the real show can start.â
âDamn it Colm hold on ju-â
âAh Ah Ah, not yet Mr. Morgan. Do it, Yoseff.â
Yoseff held the branding iron over the fire until it was red hot. Colm spoke as Yoseff got the iron ready. âNow, Ms. Y/N, I wonât lie to ya, this is gonna hurt a lot. But while you scream in pain, as the iron burns your flesh I need you to think of one thing and one thing only.â He grabbed your face with one hand and pointed at Arthur with the other. Your eyes met Arthur and his eyes were pleading and frightened. You kept your gaze steady. âThat this is happening for one reason and one reason only.â Yoseff approached the the iron, red hot. âBecause of him.â As soon as Colmâs words left his mouth, the iron came down hot on your stomach. You couldnât hold back the blood curdling screech that left your mouth as the brand touched your skin. Tears bubbles in your eyes and fell faster than you could stop them.
Arthur watched helplessly as you withered under the hot iron. Your screeches shattered him like glass and the smell of your burning flesh made bile rise in his stomach.
Colm laughed coldly as he watched you and Arthur. You, a strong woman reduced to tears and wails in a matter of seconds and Arthur looked physically broken at the sight of it. Arthur couldnât hide his emotions from Colm now, they were painted perfectly in his eyes. The pleasure it sent over Colmâs body felt almost euphoric. It was addicting. âPush it in good Now Yoseff, I want her to really feel it.â
âYes sir.â
The added pressure pulled another scream from your lips followed by a sob. Arthur thought he would lose his mind in a matter of seconds in a whirlwind of self hatred and loathing and fear and panic. This was all his fault. You were here because of him, your cries for pain were because of him. The scar that would be left on your stomach would be because of him. His stomach dropped. That is, if you made it out of here alive to allow it to scar. If you died here, that would also be because of him. He couldnât handle it, the thought of losing you. It seemed like an eternity before Yoseff pulled the iron from your stomach. The skin was black and red and your breathing was heavy. Colm inspected the wound and touched it. Each touched pulled a whine from your lips. âI dunno, Yoseff I think she moved too much. I donât much care for the way this one looks. I think we should try the other side.â
âGod no-â
âOkay boss.â
âGod no, Colm please.â Arthur repeated. âStop for the love of god please.â His voice broke.Â
âArthur Morgan, I donât believe Iâve ever heard you beg before.â He stopped and gave a small signal to Yoseff. Your screams began again as Colm grabbed Arthur by the hair. âBeg all ya like, this girl will receive every bit of torture for the rest of your stay. You should be glad, your wounds will heal and we wonât lay another hand on ya, and thatâs a promise.â He leaned into Arthurâs ear and Colmâs hot breath made Arthurâs skin crawl. âSheâll also receive that good olâ OâDriscoll treatment I told ya about. And youâll get to see every second of it. Thatâs also a promise.â
Arthur lurched against his restraints hard. He couldnât allow that to happen. It was too much for him. The thought of Colm and his men raping you in front of him was enough to make him rampant; he raged and screamed against the chair, desperate to break free. He didnât care if he died trying, he had to get you out of here alive.
Your throat was rough and sore from the screaming, but you couldnât stop. The burning of the iron on your skin was too much. You tried not to look at Arthur, you had never seen such raw fear in his eyes and it was all your fault. You had to run off on your own and be the big hero, well look where that got you. Hosea and Dutch tried to stop you, tried to tell you to wait until they had a plan. You had heard that too much from Dutch, but you shouldâve listened to Hosea.
Your head was spinning from the pain now, your body tried to break away from the burning metal, but Colmâs big hands on your shoulders held you down tight. This time it didnât feel quite like eternity before the relief of scorching iron left your side. A heavy sigh of relief left your lips but as soon as the air hissed between your teeth, another swift blow to the back of your head was delivered. It wasnât enough to knock you out, but it was enough to cause your head to slump forward and cause you to see stars.Â
âNow, thatâs better.â You winced at the phantom pain of Colmâs fingers prodding the new burn. âWhat do you think Mr. Morgan?âÂ
âI think Iâm sendinâ you to Hell, you dirty bastard!â He bellowed. He didnât sound angry though, to you he sounded desperate. He sounded like a man with no water in the middle of the desert.Â
Colm laughed humorlessly. âTsk tsk tsk, Mr. Morgan thatâs not what I asked.â The sound of skin hitting skin and it shook you. You pulled your eyes up. âI asked what you thought of the branding job.â Colm kicked him in the stomach and bile spilled from Arthurâs mouth onto the floor.Â
âColm please,â you could barely whisper. âlet him go.â You coughed. âDo what you will to me, but please, just let him go.â You coughed and your head was light.Â
Arthur fought the tears that tried to well in his eyes. What were you doing begging for him like that? You were obviously in worse shape, and not even for your own torture. This was all his fault, and here you were begging for him to be spared. He shouldnât be surprised, how just like you to beg for anotherâs life while yours is on the line.Â
When Colm laughed, it sounded surprised and almost delighted. âHere that, Mr. Morgan she wants me to let you go.â He paced the distance between the two of you and took your chin in his hand. âSheâll let me do what I will to her, you hear that boys?â The men in the room whooped and hollered. Colm looked to Arthur and sneered. âOh, Iâll do exactly what I want, but Iâm gonna let this pretty face heal up first. I want to enjoy myself when I take you, little lady and I canât do that when your eyes are so swollen you canât see what Iâm doinâ.âÂ
Colm dropped your chin and your head slumped. Arthur couldnât tell whether or not you were conscious. He could barely hear your breathing and your head was still slumped over. Colm turned to leave and he waved towards the men in the corner. âweâre done for now, put âem to sleep boys.â As Colm exited the cellar, the butt of a rifle came down on the back of Arthurâs head and everything went dark.Â
â...dunno boss, we been here longer than we ever stay in one spot. Van Der Linde is bound to be lookinâ for us by now, not to mention the law and the bountymen. We need to move.â
âWe ainât goinâ anywhere yet, you hear? I ainât done with these two yet and we canât move with them itâs too risky.â
âBut boss-â
ââBut bossâ me one more time and youâll be six feet under, you hear me boy?âÂ
âY-yes sir!â
Footsteps approach. Cold water splashed over your face and your eyes opened instantly with a surprised gasp. It took a moment for your vision to focus, Colm was standing in front of you and Arthur was being carried in by a heavy man. Colm talked as they strapped him in. âBefore we get started, Iâm gonna ask you a coupla questions, just in case I can save the lady from a little pain.â He pulled a knife through a handkerchief slowly, cleaning it as he talked. His eyes remained focused on the blade. âWhere is Dutch and his little gang hiding out these days?â His eyes slid down to your face. Your lips remained tight as you met his gaze defiantly. âI said,â he slashed quickly, leaving a cut along your cheek. âWhere is Dutch?âÂ
You winced in pain as the blood trickled down your cheek. You allowed yourself to look at Arthur for just this one moment. He looked better than before, you supposed Colm kept his word about only hurting you. His bruises werenât as angry purple as the were before and the dried blood was beginning to flake off. Still handsome, even after being beaten near to death. You hadnât seen your own reflection since you arrived but you thought it was safe to assume you looked horrible. He was still unconscious while the men bound him. Had you been in better condition, you probably wouldâve laughed; Arthur would need to be unconscious for two scrawny men like that to tie him down. Colmâs booming voice demanded your attention. âIâm givinâ you one more chance girl, where is Dutch?â His voice was angry and impatient.Â
You looked up slowly. âDutch...â You coughed. âDutch is...â Colm held a hand up to the men binding Arthur and they paused. âDutch is going to kill you.â
Colm lashed out in rage. His fists came down on you in a deluge of anger. Your whole body was throbbing with pain, but your lips remained tight. The thought of Arthurâs eyes on you while you were beaten felt worse than anything physical they could do to you. Seeing the horror and hearing his voice break was almost too much. You never meant to cause him any pain and without you, he probably would have escaped by now. You were nothing but a burden to him now and you knew it. You didnât care how much pain you were in, you had to get the two of you out of here.Â
It didnât take Colm long to burn himself out on beating you, without your cries of pain it just wasnât very fun especially since Arthur wasnât even awake yet. He wiped your blood from his knuckles and cleared his throat. âOkay boys, wake him up.â
A bucket of water was flung on him and you heard him gasp in surprise and cough. Colm did nothing to address him, he wouldnât meet yours nor Arthurâs gaze as he slowly walked over to the fire and twisted his blade through the tongues of the flames. His eyes refracted the orange glow of the blade as he pulled it from the fire. âCauterization,â he started. âIs a very funny thing. Sure, it stops the bleeding, but at what cost? Have you ever cauterized a wound, Miss Y/N?â You shook your head slowly. âHow about you Mr. Morgan?â
Arthur said nothing, he just stared at Colm, his face was hard to read. Colm laughed. âQuiet bunch today, are we? Letâs change that.â The blade ripped through the flesh down your arm. The stinging of the laceration with the burning of the hot blade was overwhelming. Your resolve to keep your mouth shut for Arthur was shot, Colm was quick in slashing your flesh, leaving huge red gashes, but the blood never spilled. On the third slash, the blade was warm, but not hot enough to stop the blood. âShit.â He hissed. âNew blade!â He called. Your vision was blurry but when your eyes found the fire place, someone was already heating a new knife. Another man grabbed the knife from Colmâs hand and took it to the fire. They had planned for this alright, their system was quick and efficient. Within 30 seconds, Colm had a brand new red hot blade.Â
Arthur watched on in horror, for that was all he could do. Colm was slashing the flesh of your arms strategically, not hitting any major veins and replacing the knives every few cuts to make sure the blade was hot enough to cauterize the flesh it touched. Arthurâs mind kept reeling back to when he had to dig a bullet from his shoulder and cauterize the wound himself. It was his only time doing it, but it near made him pass out in pain. But you were still fully conscious and screaming as Colm used your arms for cutting boards. It was too much. You were going to die soon and Arthur knew it. He wondered if he would go insane before or after watching you die. His eyes met yours between your tears and his heart felt like it was in a million pieces. He had to end it, he had to tell Colm everything. Damn Dutch, and damn the whole gang. All he wanted was for your screams to stop. But when he opened his mouth, your expression hardened. Colm turned to switch off knives and your lips formed barely a whisper. âDonât.â
Arthur couldnât stop the tears that fell from his cheeks. How could you be so selfless? You knew as well as he did all this would be over if he just told Colm what he wanted to know. Your breathing was heavy and your body was bloodied, bruised, and broken. To any other man, you would look like a broken doll but to Arthur you looked strong. In that moment, it was the strongest Arthur had ever seen you. Face swollen, covered in blood, and still too defiant to give up. He sniffled and gave you a nod.Â
Colm missed your small interaction, and for that you were thankful. It was nothing more than a look and the confirmation of understanding of said look, but it was the closest to private conversation you and Arthur had had since you arrived. It gave you the strength to push through whatever was left in store for you. You caught Arthurâs eyes and held their gaze as Colm slid the blade under your collar bone. It was easier to hide the pain now, your lips held tight and you kept your expression as blank as possible. You would get through this together, his gaze wasnât so desperate and yours wasnât so pained. Colmâs impatience grew as you kept your pain invisible. He huffed in frustration as he switched off blades. He plunged the knife into your thigh, pulling a hiss of pain from between your lips. Colm smiled cruelly. âThere we go, was that so hard?â He twisted the blade and your face contorted in pain. âThereâs no need to hide it just for Mr. Morganâs sake.â He pulled the blade from your flesh and a gasp fled from your parted lips. âYes,â Colm cooed softly. He slowly sunk the knife into the flesh of your side, careful not to hit any major organs. The slowness of his movements were agonizing. As he twisted, you saw stars and a small cry escaped. You thought you heard a gunshot in the distance as you cried and your eyes shot to Arthur. His eyes darted in the direction of the sound, but Colm paid no mind. Arthur gave you a small nod and with every touch of the knife, you wailed as loudly as possible. More gunshots grew closer, but your cries were drowning them out. Colm was also distracted with how pleased with himself he was. He was convinced you were fully broken now, screeching and wailing like a child with every touch. It was almost too easy. As the gunshots approached, your cries grew louder and more blood curdling, you werenât sure how long your voice would cover the fight going on outside, but you had to keep Colm distracted. The door to the cellar flew open. âBoss we-â
The man slumped and fell down the stairs. Before Colm could react Dutch, Sadie, and Hosea were coming down upon them guns blazing. Dutch brawled with Colm as Sadie and Hosea freed you and Arthur. Sadieâs small hands moved quickly to undo your bonds as she whispered death wishes to every OâDriscoll in camp. It didnât take long for Dutch to grapple Colm and put a bullet between his eyes. Sadie tried to help you to your feet but your wounds wouldnât allow you to stand quite yet. You had forgotten how quite indecent you were until Dutch covered you in his coat. Finally, you were safe.Â
-
The healing process was slow and tedious. You lost a lot of muscle mass from healing and every day chores took a lot out of you. You couldnât even lift a bale of hay by yourself anymore. The worst part was Arthur though. Since your return to camp, he has been very standoffish and doesnât say much to you. You would think after everything you had been through, the two of you would be closer.Â
You sighed as you picked up the ax and put a small log on the stump. Your arms protested as you swung back, but you were determined to get back to your old self. Just as you were about to swing the blade down, Charlesâ big voice boomed behind you and scared you so bad you almost dropped the ax. âY/N!â
His giant hand took your shoulder and you groaned. âYou know better than to work yourself like this, here let me.â
You gripped the ax stubbornly. âDamn it Charles, how am I supposed to get back to my old self if no one will let me do any chores?â
âDonât worry, youâll be back to normal in no time.âÂ
You huffed. âNot soon enough. Ya know I ainât even allowed outta camp yet? Arthurâs been back out on jobs for two weeks now and I cainât even pick up a damn hay bale!â
Charles gave you a small smile. âArthur wasnât beat up nearly as bad as you. How ya healinâ up by the way?â
You pulled up your sleeves to reveal fresh angry red scars. âThey finally stopped scabbinâ over a coupla weeks ago. Still got the phantom pains. Still got a hole in my thigh though. Iâm fine really.â
âGlad to see youâre making a solid recovery.â He held his hand out. With a groan of frustration you handed over the ax, Charles is an argument never won.
It was nice having everyone in camp worry, nice to know you were loved and would be sorely missed, but after a month it was getting old. You were tired of being petted, being asked how you were all the time, and treated like a fragile child. You knew the others meant well, but it was getting quite old. You wiped the sweat from your brow when you entered your tent, the summer was getting unbearable. Really it was your fault for wearing a thick long sleeved flannel, but to be quite honest, the scars covering your arms were a little embarrassing. Last week when you rode into Rhodes with Sadie you made the mistake of wearing a chemise top. Everywhere you went you got strange stares, it was humiliating. Even around camp, people stared but it was worse here. Here they stared in pity. Before all this Colm business, you were up there with the men as far as skill and killing went. Now you felt like you were on the same level as Jack. You changed into your chemise top but remained inside your tent. The worst part of all of it wasnât even otherâs opinions, it was yours. You had considered yourself lucky for so long, never taking injuries bad enough to scar you were relatively smooth compared to the others. Now your smooth skin was covered in big angry scars, a constant reminder of your failure. You never necessarily felt pretty, but you had also never felt ugly until now.Â
Arthur rode into camp as the sun fell behind the trees. His muscles were still a little sore, but it was more likely from three days of riding than it was from his brush with Colm. His scars were healed to a healthier shade a pink, but the deepest scars were emotional. He forced himself to not look in your tent as he passed. He still hadnât forgiven himself for what had happened to you and now he couldnât even look at you without being reminded of how his mistakes caused you unimaginable pain. Your screams haunted his dreams nightly, no matter how hard he tried he couldnât escape his own guilt. Luckily for him, there was still plenty of moonshine and nothing helps you forget guilt like alcohol.Â
You were already quite tipsy by the time the sun had disappeared over the horizon. After a couple of drinks in your tent with Sadie and Abigail, the liquid courage melted your nerves and you were enjoying the cool summer breeze on your exposed arms. No one had mentioned your scars or even stared, you were starting to think things were returning to normal. That is, until you saw Arthur. He walked into the fire light and greeted Sean and Karen who were closest to him. His eyes landed on you and they didnât even land on your face. His eyes traced your arms and lingered around your exposed collar bones.He made a face like he was about to be sick and grumbled, âScuse me.â before turning and leaving. You also werenât the only one to catch his strange actions as half the group around the campfire were now staring at you. Pearson cleared his throat and awkwardly continued his story of the sea.
âThatâs it.â You whispered to yourself as you stood. Abigail asked you where you were going but you ignored her. You followed Arthur to the shore of the lake and sat beside him. He kept his gaze straight ahead. You sighed. âWhen you gonna start talkinâ to me again?â
He looked at you in surprise. âYou want me to talk to ya?â
This time you were the one who looked surprised. âCourse I do, why wouldnât I?â
Arthurâs eyes looked pained as he took your arm in his hands. They were so much gentler than you imagined them to be. âIâm the reason they did this to you. You got hurt real bad and itâs all my fault.âÂ
âNah, Iâm the one who came after ya I deserved it. Now Iâm just as ugly on the outside as I am the inside.â You laughed weakly at your failed joke.Â
Arthurâs eyes remained on your arm. âThatâs just it though, you ainât ugly. Inside and out, youâre beautiful.âÂ
You were thankful the moon was hidden behind the clouds, your face was bright red. âI-I donât know about that.â You stammered.Â
âI do.â He lifted your hand to his lips and placed the gentlest of kisses on each scar. His beard scratched your skin and when he placed the last kiss on your shoulder his eyes met yours. For a moment, static hung in the air as you stared into each otherâs eyes. Then almost as quickly as it began, the moment ended. Arthurâs eyes averted from yours and he began to back away from you. Iâm sorry that was-âÂ
You caught his cheek in your hand and pulled him back towards you. âNo!â You said a little too frantically. âNo.â You whispered. âThat was fine. It was more than fine.â You cleared your throat. Had it suddenly gotten humid out? Your throat was dry and you could feel the warmth over your entire face and down your neck.Â
âOkay,â he whispered as he slowly scooted closer to you and wrapped an arm around your waist. His eyes never left yours, needing constant reassurance that what he was doing was okay. You nuzzled your head into his chest and felt his chest let out a shaky breath and he placed a small kiss on the top of your head. Maybe you were beautiful, scars and all.Â