The past week had been hell for poor Kieran. The entire gang had essentially bullied him for being an O'Driscoll. You couldn't exactly blame them for acting so aggressively towards him, at least it's what you were associating with your past with the rival gang. 

Kieran would usually retreat to the horses and tended to them. It was basically the only time he wouldn't get physically or emotionally hurt by a fellow gang member. As much as you hated him for merely just being part of the O'Driscoll gang, you felt pity for him deep down in your inner conscience. 

The poor man seemed to have always tensed up every time someone went towards his direction. Kieran would shrink inside his own shell and kept his gaze downcast at most times unless he was spoken to. It was only Dutch who had really put in the effort to actually converse with him, with Hosea and Miss Grimshaw occasionally telling him to do his part of chores in the camp. 

It was kind of a sorry sight, actually. But no matter how much you mind had told to be angry with him, the more your heart said otherwise. You continuously told yourself that you would beat Kieran until he was blue, but what did he do to make you feel like that? Only because he was associated with Colm? It's not like he had a choice either. He told everyone that he was forced to be a part of them, otherwise they'd kill him. Kieran seemed harmless enough, harmless to not even harm a fly. 

You huffed as you stood up from your spot onto the log by the campfire, readying yourself to make conversation with the former O'Driscoll. Your feet took you to the direction of the horses, where Kieran was tending them.

"You a horse whisperer or somethin'?" You asked, leaning against a fence and crossing your arms over your chest. 

"Please don't hurt me!" The brunette man jumped as if he was shot, nervously looking up at you as his hands fumbled around the reigns of your horse. 

"Hey man, relax." You reassured him, your hands slightly raised up in a form of surrender. "Seems that Ace kinda likes you, O'Driscoll."

Kieran's eyes widened slightly when he realized that it was your horse that he was tending to. His hands immediately let go of the brush as it dropped to the grassy floor, glancing at you with a terrified expression. He was ready for whatever punishment he was going to receive. 

"I-I'm sorry!" He pleaded while kneeling down on both his knees in front of you. "I-I ain't aware this was your horse! I-I just wanted to brush his mane because I thought that he needed it and didn't wanna leave him alone and...-"

You stopped Kieran just in time before he could spiral down any further. "O'Driscoll, just take a deep breath. I ain't gonna shoot you, unless you give me a reason to."

His shivering had finally come to a halt, as he eventually stood back up on his feet. Kieran hesitantly locked gazes with you. Your eyes still looking as fiery as ever, just being aware if he does something unexpected. 

"It's not easy to impress my boy Ace, y'know?" You stated as your hand reached towards your horse' neck. "I gotta give it to you, O'Driscoll. You're really know your stuff with horses."

"Please ma'am... I ain't an O'Driscoll no more." He retorted back, slightly surprising you. "I'll prove  myself as much as I can that I'm a Van der Linde."

You nodded your head in slight agreement. "Alright then, Duffy. Maybe Dutch was right about you being clean. Just don't mess with the gang's trust, or else I might actually shoot you. Got it?"

The poor man gulped nervously and nodded alongside with you. "Y-yes! I swear it with my heart, I really do." 

"Also, call me (name). No need with the formality nonsense." You snickered while shaking your head, turning to your feet to leave Kieran with the horses.

"Can I ask you something?" Kieran called out to you before you could walk any further. In which, you turned back to him nodded for him to continue. "What's the history between the Van der Linde and O'Driscolls? If you ain't comfortable in answering, that's also-"

"It's fine." You cut Kieran off, "I just know that Dutch and Colm got along, believe it or not. Things went south when Colm decided that he would handle things more... Differently. He killed someone dear to Dutch, and Dutch did the same to Colm. As for me, well I've already told you that Colm killed my ma." 

"I'm sorry for even asking..." Kieran's face was downcast, not daring to look at you in the eye for asking about a touchy subject.

A heavy sigh escaped your lips. "It's alright. I just can't believe I'm opening up to you... I promised myself that I'd get Colm one day. I'll kill him before he gets the cash for my bounty." 

The brunette man finally looked up to you again, sensing the sincerity laced in your voice. The raw anger, sadness, and guilt all mixed up in those few words, he sensed it all. But he also realized how strong you were at this moment. Not a single tear rolled down your cheeks despite all these pent up emotions swelled up within you. 

"Colm's a monster." He finally spoke up, "I sure do hope that you'll get him one day. Him and his boys kill for fun. Men, women, and children--they ain't anything worth to Colm as long as he kills and gets his money. It's all the same to him." 

"Sounds just like him." Arthur's voice called from the distance before you could say anything else to Kieran. 

Kieran's posture stiffened once again upon seeing the intimidating burly cowboy. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to engage a conversation with Arthur Morgan's girlfriend. 

"I-I'll just get back to tending the horses. Have a great rest of your day, Mr. Morgan." He stuttered before Arthur.

Your change of expression had not gone unnoticed by Arthur, who now assumed that it had something to do with Kieran. 

"Y' do somethin' to my woman, O'Driscoll?" The outlaw's voice almost matched with that of a growl.

"I ain't done anything, I swear!" Kieran nearly shrieked with how terrifying Arthur sounded. 

You placed your hand over Arthur's calloused ones before he put a bullet in poor Kieran's skull. Thankfully, your gentle touches had always managed to calm down the outlaw, especially since Arthur seemed to be ready to kill him. 

"Everything's just fine, Arthur." You snickered at how overprotective your boyfriend was of you. "We was just talking about how much of a piece of shit Colm is." 

"Is that so?" His tone almost sounded sarcastic. "An O'Driscoll insulting his own leader?" 

"I told you, I ain't an O'Driscoll no more!" Kieran pleaded, exhausted with how many times he's had to explain himself to everyone. "I only ran with them for a little bit... But I swear, I never asked for any of it. I-I didn't wanna die... So I had to join them." 

"Alright, alright boy. Dutch saw somethin' in y' so that's why I'm trusting y'. But if you do something stupid even in the slightest bit, I'll kill ya." There was no hint of joking in Arthur's tone, which Kieran had taken seriously into heart. 

"I promise you all that ain't gonna break anyone's trust." Kieran swore, "this gang is the next best thing I've had since my family."

"He ain't so bad, Arthur." You smiled up to your lover, his expression almost instantly softening to your voice. 

"Alright, darlin'. You know I'm always gonna trust y'." Arthur held onto your hand, fully knowing that you wouldn't be saying such things if Kieran wasn't to be trusted. "I wanna officially welcome you to the gang, Duffy." 

For the first time, you witnessed Kieran somehow relax as a smile graced his lips. He felt warm, especially when he was being welcomed by Dutch's right hand man. 

"Thank you, Arthur." 

Another filler chapter! There will be more romance with Arthur x Reader in the next one!