RDR2 AU

[dog_eat_dog]

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[dog_eat_dog]

Tess makes herself right at home, mingling like it's her job. It's a force of habit, an adaptability that gets her in and out of trouble as easily as slipping in and out of a change of clothes. It's easy, too, when the company is homey. Her own camp has never felt like much more than a place of business, people coming and going as it benefitted them, the most loyal still ready to go pack up when things get too ugly.

When Arthur comes back, she scooches over on the log she's sitting on to make room, and she leans over to grab another beer and put it in his hand. See? Right at home.

"I don't think it'll be too difficult to spend a couple days here."

[stand_unshaken]

He sits heavily down next to her and raises the beer in thanks.

"If you're still here, you'll be fine," he says, with a look over at a red-haired Irish man, who promptly flips Arthur off. Arthur bares his teeth at him, with no actual malice.

"So. Once you outrun your daddy and his cronies, what's the plan?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"My friends are thinkin' we'll head down to New Austin and to the border. Figure we can find work on a ranch somewhere," she replies, with a pleasant little shrug. The countryside is covered in cattle ranches, and it'll make a good enough cover for their other work. "Not exactly glamorous, but we'll make it work."

[stand_unshaken]

"That's a solid plan," he agrees. Better than running from the law. From Pinkertons, even. Lots better than what he's been doing.

"Ranch work's good, honest business."

[dog_eat_dog]

“You ever done it yourself?” she asks, gently probing, and she takes a swig of beer.

[stand_unshaken]

"Do I look like I did an honest day's work in my life?"

He gives her a rueful little grin. He doesn't need to follow his own advice.

[dog_eat_dog]

“If you didn’t before, this motley little gang certainly clinched it,” she chuckles. “I’d consider it myself, just to drive Daddy crazy.”

[stand_unshaken]

"That presumes he finds out and don't hunt you down and drag you back by the hair," he points out.

[dog_eat_dog]

"I can do whatever I want," she replies, and though she says it pleasantly enough, there's an edge there. A promise. "And I'd sooner die than be dragged anywhere."

[stand_unshaken]

"Them's words to live by," he says, raising his beer to her. Words to die by, too- it goes unsaid.

"You'll be alright, you keep up like that."

[dog_eat_dog]

She raises hers, too.

"That's the plan," she replies. "Any more advice, from an outlaw to an aspiring one?"

[stand_unshaken]

"Accept the hard things, and enjoy life while you can. You ain't going to grow too old, livin' like this."

So. Go do that ranch work, Tess. Be safer.

[dog_eat_dog]

"I think I'd rather live a full life than a long one," she replies. "But noted. And you can always come join me on my ranch if you get tired."

[stand_unshaken]

"Oh, yeah? That a standing invitation?"

He grins at her, not flirtatious but friendly.

[dog_eat_dog]

"As long as you're interested, it is," she replies. "I can always use a man like you."

[stand_unshaken]

That gets picked up by some people on the other side of the fire, and they shout loudly at the two of them- oh, she could use a man like Arthur Morgan?

Arthur tells the lot to shut the hell up, and shakes his head at her.

[dog_eat_dog]

Tess grins, but she has the decency to look the slightest bit apologetic about it.

"Well, offer's open, if you're not sick of me in the next few days."

[stand_unshaken]

"Sure. I'll keep that in mind - and on that note, I oughta hit the hay before things spin outta control, here."

He takes his leave by clapping her on the shoulder before getting up. The next day has him riding into the nearby town, but he tells her to stay put. No sense throwing all their hard work away. The women take her along while they do chores and sing increasingly rowdy songs, and there's warm food and interesting people within hand's reach, at all times.

[dog_eat_dog]

Quite the unusual circumstance for Tess, considering she usually doles out cash and goods to avoid having to do any petty chores, but she can blend in like it isn't. The women of the Van der Linde gang being fairly bawdy and rough around the edges certainly makes it easy, and being sociable has always come to her naturally. She could fit right in if she didn't have friends of her own to get to –– or if she had any interested at all in being under someone else's command.

But it's a good day just the same, and it gives her a good feel for how they do things.

[stand_unshaken]

In the evening Arthur comes back after dark, a little dusty and dirty, but with a pocket full of dollars to deposit into the safety box behind Dutch's cabin, an dthen he goes over to where she's sitting.

"Hey. Still here?"

[dog_eat_dog]

Tess noticed him the moment he got back into camp. There wasn't any sense in greeting him like a dog with a wagging tail, but she certainly keeps an eye out. Curious.

"Sure am," she replies. "Getting real comfortable, too. What'd you get up to?"

She glances over the dust and dirt with a wry little look in her eyes. More likely trouble than elbow grease, no doubt.

[stand_unshaken]

"You know what - I don't think you'd believe me if I told you," he says, and when she glances at him he self-conciously tries to beat some of the dust off of himself. It's no use.

[dog_eat_dog]

She grins a little at that.

“Try me,” she says.

[stand_unshaken]

"Would you believe me," he starts, "if I told you I ran into a fella who told me his dangerous predators had escaped? A tiger and a lion?"

[dog_eat_dog]

"I guess I'd have to," she replies. Maybe they're on their way to one of those World Expositions they do up in Chicago, or something. "And I thought lawmen and robbers were all we had to look out for on the roads."