✧. ┊loyalty, he said

Arthur spotted you across the dusty town, standing outside one of the shops with your arms folded loosely over your chest. The sight of you made something in his chest ease immediately, despite the fact he’d spent the entire ride over telling himself he shouldn’t be here. Dutch had made it clear that Arthur’s time belonged to the gang, but Arthur had ignored him anyway.

He walked over, boots scraping against the dirt, trying to look far more casual than he felt.

“Didn’t think I’d see you here,” he said, a crooked smile appearing as he stopped in front of you. “Course, I suppose I was hopin’ I would.”

Arthur glanced down the street before looking back at you, his expression softening.

“I ain’t got long. Dutch’ll have my head if I take too much time.” He hesitated, then gave a quiet shrug. “But I wanted to see you. Figured that was reason enough to come.”