Work Text:
"Thank you Arthur I.." John clears his throat.
He and Arthur hang back by the horses watching Dutch and Hosea make their way back towards the house.
Arthur busies himself with a smoke while John fumbles with his words.
"I don't know how to say it.. thank you."
"I understand."
He can already hear the gang gearing up for a party before the words leave his mouth.
John nods and Arthur sends him off to his family.
Javier has his guitar out and half the camp is already well on their way to being completely cocked without this reason to celebrate. They brought Jack home safe and sound, he knows everyone will sleep easier tonight. He smiles and tosses away his spent cigarette as he hears Javier start up a familiar melody, a camp favorite. Not that any of them understand a lick of what hes singing of course, but the drunken fools do their best to join in on the chorus. He hums along and scans the crowd for Charles. He spots him off by himself a little ways away from the campfire, he waves off the drink Hosea offers to him and makes his way over.
"You alright, Charles?" he asks, mindful to stand at a safe distance.
"Yeah just..taking it all in."
He nods as they both turn towards the group. It's a fine night.
"Ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores.."
Arthur snorts watching Dutch sway along to the music, drink in hand.
"Not drinking tonight?" Charles nudges him.
"Nah, think I'll leave the whiskey to the rest of you degenerates for now."
Charles hums, taking a sip from his own bottle.
"Ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores.."
Their shoulders brush briefly and it sends a spark through Arthur.
It would be stupid, and risky, to try anything here. He knows that.
He does.
But they’ve not had time for more than a few stolen kisses in the dark as of late, and it’s unlikely that a better opportunity will present itself anytime soon. He watches Charles from the corner of his eye, sees his lips curve into a soft smile. He misses him.
Arthur clears his throat, scuffs the toe of his boot in the dirt "Think I might actually head upstairs...been a long day."
'Now or never' he thinks.
"Might be awake a while longer though.." he murmurs.
Charles pauses with his drink halfway to his mouth, eyebrows raised.
Javier belts out the last words of the song and the gang breaks into applause. He barely hears them, heart caught in his throat and eyes only for Charles.
Charles blinks first, clears his throat and looks away. "Well..good night then Arthur."
He nods dumbly, unsure how this is going to play out. He bids his good-nights to those close enough to see that he's leaving and slips into the house.
He climbs the stairs and tries not to get his hopes up. Charles has more sense than him after all, and if he doesn't think it's a good idea then it usually isn't. But it's the first time in weeks that they have a chance at privacy, let alone the luxury of a locked door.
He lights the dusty oil lamp and sets his hat on the bedside table, dumps his satchel and holster on the floor. He takes off his vest, removes his suspenders and rubs a hand over his face. He can still hear the party outside going strong. He untucks his shirt and toes off his boots. And he waits.
And he waits.
The minutes pass and he starts to accept the fact that Charles isn't coming. Maybe he got caught up in the party or isn't willing to be as stupid as Arthur. He can't blame him. He's about to call it a night when the door creaks open and Charles steps inside and shuts the door quietly behind him.
Charles looks as surprised to be there as Arthur is to see him.
"Hey."
"Hey." Arthur breathes out.
He hears the lock click.
Charles meets him halfway and they collide, lips and teeth and tongue. His hands cradle Charles' face and he can feel himself growing hard already.
"This is a stupid idea."
"Really fucking stupid." Charles agrees and kisses him again anyway.
He backs Charles up against the dresser and presses against him and they both let out a low moan.
"I miss you Charles" He breathes hot against his lips. "I miss you so damn much."
"I'm right here Arthur" Charles whispers, hands roaming the expanse of Arthurs back.
He groans as Charles pulls the shirt over his head and tosses it away.
Charles mouths along his throat and he struggles with the buttons of Charles' shirt, his hands are trembling. "Fuck- this fuckin’ thing!”
Charles slaps his hands away and finishes the buttons himself, the shirt slides off his shoulders forgotten onto the floor.
"Just touch me."
Arthur is surprised at how close it sounds to pleading. He captures his lips again as they rock against each other and it feels so good, but it's not what Arthur needs right now. He pulls back and drops to his knees, places a kiss on Charles abdomen, on one hip, then the other.
Charles pets a hand through his short hair "You sure?"
"Damn sure." He nods and undoes the button on Charles pants and pushes them down. He's already hard and it sends a thrill down his spine that Charles is just as worked up as he is. He licks his palm and gives him a firm stroke.
"Ah- Arthur" Charles sighs, throwing an arm back to support himself against the dresser sending a case of shotgun shells scattering across the floor.
Arthur leans his head against Charles' hip and continues to stroke him, breathing in the scent that is uniquely Charles. He looks up and to see Charles with his head thrown back, mouth agape, and he wants.
"Remember, have t'be quiet."
It's the only warning he gives before closing his eyes and taking Charles into his mouth. The hand in his hair tightens briefly and he strains his ears to hear the soft moan Charles lets out.
It's not ideal. He'd rather have Charles completely bare and spread out under him, his strong thighs trembling around his head as he does this. But beggars can't be choosers.
He doesn't pretend to be an expert at this by any means, he can count the number of times he's had the opportunity and the privacy necessary to do this on one hand. But the way Charles shifts and moans low in the back of his throat makes him think he's doing alright. He looks up through his eyelashes and see Charles watching him, he moves his free hand to Charles' on the dresser and laces their fingers together.
He closes his eyes again and tries to take Charles deeper, his free hand working what his mouth can't reach. Charles is hot and heavy on his tongue and Arthur is so hard in his jeans he think he might explode. He feels Charles let go of his hair to cup his cheek, their eyes meet again as he strokes his thumb at the corner of Arthurs mouth where it's stretched around his cock.
"God damn, Arthur." he groans, hips jerking slightly.
Arthur looses himself in the act. Consumed by the quiet sounds he coaxes out of Charles, the weight of him on his tongue, the feel of the hand against his cheek.
He sits back on his heels, continues his firm strokes while he catches his breathe. He pulls his other hand from Charles grasp to palm himself through his jeans.
"You okay?" Charles asks. There's a fine sheen of sweat on his broad chest and Arthur can't stop looking at him.
"M'fine darlin'. "
Charles huffs out a laugh that turns sharply into another quiet moan when Arthur adds a flick to his wrist.
" Darlin' huh?" he lets out in a shaky breath.
"That alright?" Arthur questions, feeling unsure for the first time since Charles stepped into the room.
"It's great.. c'mere" Charles helps him to his feet and pulls him into a kiss. "I wanna touch you too."
Charles walks them backwards toward the old rickety bed and sits, pulling Arthur along with him to straddle his thick thighs.
Charles makes quick work of the button of his jeans and spits into his palm, Arthurs brain nearly melts when he takes them both in hand and continues the pace Arthur had set. Arthur stifles a moan against his mouth, kisses him deep. It's almost too much, it's been too long and he knows he won't last. He places a hand on the back of Charles' neck and puts their foreheads together, watches Charles' hand move over their cocks. The sight knocks the breath out of his lungs.
"M'close"
"Mmf, me too" Charles pants, his hand picking up the pace. Arthur places his free hand over Charles', tightening the grip, his hips rocking in time with their strokes. He feels his release building hot and sharp towards the edge, a sweat breaking out over his skin.
He comes hard, with loud moan, body trembling. Charles slaps his hand over his mouth and cuts off the sound, strokes him through the high. He hears Charles grunt once, twice, and feels his body go taunt. His head spins and he rests his forehead on Charles shoulder, skin hot and his breathing heavy.
"I've got you" Charles murmurs and strokes a palm down his spine. Arthur places a kiss on Charles shoulder, his throat, at the corner of his mouth. He lets out a heavy sigh, boneless.
"Gimme a minute."
"S’fine, Arthur."
He hums, content, pulls Charles into a sloppy kiss.
After a while, Charles pulls back. "Do you have somethin' to.." he trails off, indicating to the mess on his stomach.
Arthur coughs, "Uh yeah, hang on."
He reaches down and grabs an old, threadbare sheet from the floor and cleans them up, tucks both of them away. He sits down beside Charles and runs a hand through his hair, no doubt sticking up all over from Charles’ earlier ministrations. The thought makes him hot all over.
It sounds like the party outside is starting to dwindle down, he can only hear Javier and Uncle at this point. He curses and hopes he weren't too loud at the end there
"Hey" Charles nudges him, pulling him from his thoughts "you good?"
He smiles and pushes his knee into Charles' "M’good, it's always good with you."
Charles grab his hand and kisses his knuckles "Always good hm?"
"Mmh, nothin' beats the real thing." He pauses, realizing what he’s just said, heat rising in his cheeks.
Charles chuckles and kisses his shoulder. "You think about me when you...?"
Arthur clears his throat, and can feel Charles smile against his skin. It's ridiculous, to feel embarrassed given what they've just done, what they've been doing for months now.
"Well yeah...o'course." he mumbles.
Charles cups his cheek and makes Arthur look at him "I think about you too."
Arthur smiles as Charles kisses his cheek.
"Especially about that night in Saint Denis." He whispers hotly in his ear and Arthur knows he’s definitely blushing then. He rubs the back of his neck and smiles.
"Never knew I could bend that way."
They both chuckle into the kiss that follows.
"You're a fool, Arthur Morgan" Charles murmurs fondly and lays his head on his shoulder.
"A fool for you."
He kisses the top of Charles head and stands to peek out the window. Looks like the party's just about died down, only a few stragglers now. He fiddles with the curtain to have something to do with his hands. Nervous now, for some reason.
"You stayin'?"
He watches Charles from where he's perched on the bed, he can see him turning the idea over in his mind.
"I shouldn't..but I want to."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Come back over here." Arthur moves back towards the bed and Charles grabs him by the hips. He places a kiss next to Arthurs belly button, nips at the skin at his hip. Arthur pushes Charles' hair back from his face and wonders how he got so lucky.
"It'll be a tight fit." The bed's hardly big enough for Arthur, let alone the both of them.
"We'll be alright.”
Arthur extinguishes the lamp as Charles removes his boots. It's not very comfortable, they barely fit and it takes some maneuvering to get all their limbs situated. He chuckles as Charles nearly falls off the bed trying to pull the blanket over them. "If I fall m’taking you with me." He mumbles into the skin of Arthurs neck after he rights himself.
"I’d follow you anywhere." Arthur sighs, he can already feel himself drifting, exhaustion catching up with him. "G'night Charles."
"Good night."
------
He wakes slowly. He can hear birds outside and people moving around downstairs. He drags himself to consciousness, rubs the sleep form his eyes and looks around the room, it's like Charles was never even here. He sighs, theres just some things they can't have.
Maybe someday.
He gets up and gets dressed, he needs to piss. A coffee wouldn't hurt either. He grabs his hat and freezes, there's a scrap of paper tucked into the band. He places his hat under his arm and unfolds the note, he sees Charles' tidy scrawl and he chuckles at the contents, warmth blooming in his chest.
I'm a fool for you too.
He smiles and tucks the note into the breast pocket of his shirt. What a man, he thinks, and heads towards the door to start the day.