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Arthur doesn't remember the ride back to camp. Hell, he's not sure how he and Lenny even managed it. But he's pretty sure that the horses knew the way and had gotten them back safely. After that? It's all a blur.
Until he wakes up the next morning with a pounding head in a tent that isn't his own. He groans as he sits up from the bed, blinking blearily around him. Who's tent was this?
"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes." Dutch's amused voice solves the puzzle and Arthur feels his stomach swoop. Oh fuck, why was he in Dutch's tent?
He turns to look at the older man, trying to read his face. Just what had he done? Was Dutch mad at him? He seemed so calm. Maybe he hadn't done something stupid after all.
"You know, when I said get Lenny drunk I didn't mean get so drunk that you both come back to camp barely hanging onto the saddle." Dutch tells him as he picks up a bowl of stew besides him and hands it to Arthur.
"You wanted me to give him a good time and I did." Arthur notes, taking the bowl and taking a tentative sip because of his stomach. He thanks whoever is listening he could even keep it down. "Why am I in here? Did I pick the wrong tent?"
Dutch is quiet for a moment, almost like he was debating something. The look doesn't inspire confidence in Arthur. "Dutch? What did I do?"
"You really don't remember?" Dutch asks him, looking a little conflicted.
"What did I do?" Arthur asks again, feeling panic fill him. Okay this was bad then.
See, Arthur had developed some attraction to Dutch of late and he doesn't trust his drunk self to have not given the game away. He tries desperately to think, trying to recall something, anything, that would tell him what he did.
And then it comes to him, vaguely, himself getting off his horse and moving over to Dutch's tent. Dutch had tried to get him to sit down but Arthur had been too full of drunk energy and over confidence. The next second, he had grabbed Dutch's face and had kissed him.
Arthur feels sick, he had kissed Dutch. Fuck, this was so bad. This would be the moment Dutch threw him out of the camp, the only family he has ever known. Something in his brain, however, also asks that if Dutch had wanted to do that, why hadn't he done so after the kiss?
Another memory suddenly hits him. As soon as he had kissed Dutch he remembers feeling Dutch return the kiss.
Dutch had kissed him back?
His eyes snap to Dutch, who is looking so guilty it would usually twist Arthur's heart. But now he just feels anxiety.
"You kissed me," Dutch begins quietly, "and I couldn't make myself stop kissing you back."
"Dutch, listen I'm so sorry I was drunk and-"
"It's not your fault, I kissed you back. That was unforgivable of me." Dutch shakes his head. "I took advantage of you. I- I pulled away and let you sleep here, nothing more happened. But I knew you weren't really consenting me for a kiss."
Arthur pauses, Dutch wasn't mad? He felt guilty for returning the kiss? Arthur is sure this isn't reality right now. Maybe another drunk dream. There's no way Dutch returned his feelings?
He needed to play this right. "Well, Dutch, you know what they say. Drunk acts are sober thoughts. I wish I could remember the damn kiss properly."
Dutch looks at him, shock lighting his features for a moment. "Arthur?"
"You heard me." Arthur looks at him, leaning back a little. "I wanted to kiss you, it's just a shame I did it while drunk."
"You meant it? It wasn't just you fooling around?" Dutch moves over to him, hesitantly sitting besides him on the bed.
"Yeah, been wanting to do that for a long time." Arthur answers, turning to face Dutch and feeling his heart race at how close he was to the older man.
"You shouldn't want this, neither of us." Dutch shakes his head, seeming to try to close off. Arthur won't allow that.
"I don't care, I know what I want, Dutch. I want you and I now know you want me too, don't try to deny it. That won't work."
"But what will the-"
"Now don't give me that bullshit about what others think. I do not care and never will. Now are you going to kiss me or do I need to do it myself?"
Dutch seems surprised by Arthur's boldness, but also turned on. It's just what is needed to tip the older man into giving in.
Arthur feels Dutch's lips on his and he shuts his eyes in pleasure. Sure he's a little disgusting after his night of debauchery, but it's clear Dutch doesn't mind. Arthur groans into Dutch's mouth and he feels his hands on his waist. God, this felt amazing, like it was always meant to happen.
When they pull back, Arthur smiles like he hasn't in such a long time and he sees Dutch returning his smile.
Maybe he should get drunk more often if it leads him to gain things he has always wanted.