Dutch finds out some home truths via Hosea
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Hosea watches as Eliza heads up the stairs before turning his gaze to Colm O'Driscoll "You are to leave that Girl alone"
Colm curls his lip as he moves into Hosea's personal space "You have no authority over me, nor my actions" he smirks "If I want a go on her, I will do and there's nothing you can say to stop me"
He gazes into the other mans eyes and narrows his own before suddenly pinning the O'Driscoll against the wall with the barrel of his gun resting under his chin "I'll only warn you once...you leave Eliza alone" he cocks his head at the sound of Dutchs chuckle.
"Let him be Hosea, I'm sure he has got the message"
Hosea rolls his eyes as he pulls back, pushing Colm away from him and re-holstering his gun "About time you got up Dutch, getting lazy in your old age"
Dutch smirks as he slaps his friend on the shoulder "Had a busy night" he turns to Colm "Noel was looking for you" his smirk widens "Said something about getting you the perfect collar"
Colm curls his lip before narrowing his eyes at Hosea "I'll let that pass, but next time? I'll slit your throat before you can blink" with that he slinks off to find his Brother.
He waits till the man is out of ear shot before laughing his head off "Seriously Hosea!?" He slaps him on the back "It's good to see that the old you is still inside"
"Old me?"
Dutch shrugs as he pulls out a cigarette and lights it "Since you decided to play 'Happy Families' with Bessie, you have become soft" a cringe crosses his face at the taste "God, what I would give for a cigar right now" he shakes his head and glances at his friend "Surprised you haven't gotten bored yet"
Hosea waves the smoke away from his face "I haven't gone soft Dutch, or maybe I have" he glances up into the sky "It's nice change to earn money for honest work rather than to steal or con it from others" he sighs "But I guess I can never truly leave this way of life, all it took was a pleading from you and I'm back in the saddle"
He scuffs his boot along the ground "Wouldn't call it a pleading per say...more like a suggestion" at the raised eyebrow, he rolls his eyes "Right, enough off this talk" he straightens before gesturing towards where Colm stood "Care to explain why yourself and Colm were having a disagreement?"
"You know I cannot stand that man, don't understand as to why you have lowered yourself to working with the O'Driscoll Brothers" he sighs and glances up to the sky "He just rubs me up the wrong way, as does Noel" he turns to the younger man "But enough of them, I wanted to speak to you about a way into the Party for Arthur"
Dutch frowns "Thought he was to be your Felenico? Like Annabelle is mine and Colm is Noels"
Hosea shakes his head "You know my feelings on that idea, besides thanks to Eliza...I have found a better way"
He cocks his head to one side "Eliza? Who is she? Can she be trusted?"
A smile crosses his face "I believe so and I also believe Arthur trusts her as well, seeing as he rescued her from a couple of bad men last night" he shrugs "I awoke this morning to find her in Arthurs bed-" he quickly holds up a hand to stop Dutch from interrupting as he continues "-Arthur had taken the floor. Took a walk with her to the General Store, to get some Breakfast and to find out who she is" he shrugs "She's a Waitress, been hired by the Caterers for the Ball we shall be attending and she said that she can get Arthur a job there"
Dutch narrows his eyes in thought as he silently finishes off his cigarette before nodding as he flicks the butt into the dirt "We can use this to our advantage but are you sure she can be trusted? As the last thing we need is a squealer"
Hosea rolls his eyes "I believe she will do right by Arthur" at the raised eyebrow, he smiles "She is sweet on him" but then his smile falters "A bit like Noel is"
He cocks his head to one side "Noel? Noel O'Driscoll?" At the nod, he chuckles and shakes his head "Noel has no interest in Arthur" he shrugs "He prefers his men to look more like boys, small and vulnerable"
A huff escapes his chest "Anyone with eyes can see he is sweet on Arthur, besides he has already kissed him but I'm hoping that now with Eliza in the picture...Arthur will stay away from the younger O'Driscoll"
Dutch stiffens at the words and slits his eyes "What do you mean that they have kissed!? When did that happened!?"
"It was three years ago, back when we had to leave Town after conning that idiot" he sighs "Arthur told me that Noel tried to get him to join his Gang, he was tempted after something bad went down between you both...but he chose right and stayed with us" he cocks his head to one side "You never did tell me why you were so angry with Arthur that night? I'm guessing by you reaction to him and Annabelle fighting, it was something like that?"
A huff escapes Dutchs chest as he begins pacing "Arthur caught me enjoying the company of a Tiger Felenico and didn't take to kindly about it" he shrugs "He was going to kill the poor thing until I stopped him, but that doesn't give him the right to kiss Noel 'fucking' O'Driscoll!"
Hosea quickly grabs Dutchs shoulders, forcing him to keep still before gazing into the flinty caramel eyes "It's in the Past and hopefully we have stopped it from progressing further" he cautiously lets go and straightens "The last thing we need is to have Noel taking control of our Arthur"
Dutch slits his eyes at his friend as he growls "If you'd let me collar him, there would be no risk of another taking control" he forces his temper down as he gazes up into the sky "The only way to protect him from the World is to collar him"
The older man shakes his head and sighs "You know my views on that subject" as Dutch goes to interrupt, he narrows his eyes while holding up a hand "No. I shall only warn you once" he aggressively steps into the mans personal space, noting the caramel eyes widen in shock as he states "You even dare to collar Arthur, I will kill you myself"
"But, my I remind you, that would kill Arthur as well"
Hosea shrugs "It would be a mercy killing" he slits his eyes "Besides, life collared to you? That would be a Death Sentence in itself and I won't allow you to 'collect' him like you do others"
Dutch frowns at him "Collect? Just what are you implying!?"
"I'm not implying anything, I am stating a fact" he stares into his friends eyes "I know you, Dutch Van Der Linde...you don't love, you just enjoy sex and once you become bored you move on" he cocks his head to one side as he hears someone approach and he steps back before nodding his head in greeting at the sight of Annabelle.
The Felenico frowns at move but shrugs it off as she moves towards Dutch, rubbing herself against his side "Hey, I missed you" she lets out a purr while nuzzling his neck, smiling as she runs her hand over his chest and softly caresses his belt "Was hoping you'd wake me up for a repeat" but ends up pouting as Dutch shakes off her touch
"Sorry my Dear, but there are things I need to discuss with Hosea" he pulls out a couple of bills from his pocket and places them in her hand "Head to the Store and get myself a cigar or two, the rest you can use to purchase whatever you wish"
Annabelle nods and pecks his cheek before heading off, but suddenly stops as she turns her gaze to Hosea "By the way, it sounds like young Arthur has finally become a Man" at his confused frown, she smirks "Sounds like its not just Dutch that enjoys sex" with that she heads off with a bounce in her step.
A cringe crosses Hoseas face at the way he notices Dutch stiffening at the words and he cautiously places a hand on the mans shoulder "Dutch? Maybe she heard wrong?"
Dutch slaps his hand away and growls "She's a Felenico, there is nothing wrong with her hearing" he slits his eyes "Was this your idea? A way to keep him from Noel? From me!?" He pushes past his friend and storms up the stairs "I won't allow it!"
Hosea curses under his breath as he quickly moves to follow "Don't make a scene Dutch!" Just as he reaches the man, he looks in shock as Dutch slams open the door to reveal Arthur and Eliza in a compromising position.
+RDR2+
Arthur jumps as the door flies open and he moves on instinct, flipping them over and hides Elizas body with his own while baring his teeth in an act of aggression.
Eliza yelps in shock at the move and looks up in terror at the sound she has only ever heard from a Cougar before it attacks coming out of Arthurs throat.
He scents the air and frowns as he leans down to nuzzle her neck while gently pulling out of her body before covering her nudity with the thin blanket. Once she is covered he stands to face the intruder, not caring about his state of undress as he growls "Whatcha want Dutch? We're kinda busy"
Dutch stares at him in shock before narrowing his eyes "Just what the Hell is going on in here!" He turns to the Girl in the bed "Who the Hell are you!?"
She squeaks in fright at the question and nervously answers "E-Eliza, Eliza Clark" her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she wraps the blanket tighter around her body "I'm S-Sorry, I never meant for any of this"
A growl escapes his throat in warning as Dutch takes a step towards Eliza. He moves onto the balls of his feet, preparing to pounce...but at the sound of Hosea clearing his throat, he ends up stiffening and dropping to his knees while baring his neck and lowering his gaze in Submission.
Dutch notes the sudden change of behaviour and turns his head to glare at his old friend "I want her gone. She has no business being here" with that he storms out of the room.
Hosea sighs as he glances between Eliza and Arthur before shaking his head "Get cleaned up and dressed the pair of you" he grabs his bag "Meet me by the horses while I try to talk Dutch down" with that he takes his leave.
Arthur shakes himself out of his trance and frowns as he slowly stands (What just happened?). He turns his head at a touch on his shoulder and smiles as he tugs Eliza into a hug, nuzzling her hair with a soft purr "It's gonna be ok, Hosea will sort Dutch out" he pulls back "Best we do as he says, sounds like we is moving"
Eliza bites her bottom lip as she slowly gets dressed "Arthur? Why...why did you drop to your knees? I have never seen someone act that way" she shrugs "One minute you looked like you were going to attack that Dutch fella...only the next minute you dropped to your knees?"
He sighs as he gets dressed "Dunno what happened" he shrugs "Musta be cause of the Felenico thing" he turns to her at the shocked gasp and raises an eyebrow "What?"
"Hosea is a Felenico?"
His frown turns into confusion "What the Hell are you on about?"
She frowns "You said it was because of the Felenico thing?"
Arthur rolls his eyes "I was talking about meself" he shrugs "I'm the Felenico" at her look of shock, he frowns "Ya really didn't know? Thought it were kinda obvious, what wid the purring and stuff"
"You mean...men don't purr when having sex?"
He slowly shakes his head "Believe its just a Felenico thing" he slowly approaches her, frowning as she flinches away from him "Eliza? You ok?"
Her eyes become wet as she blinks at him "We can never be, the Law doesn't allow it...and neither does God" she sniffles and wipes away the tear that rolls down her cheek "Mother told me stories of Felenico, how they trick unsuspecting women and men into their beds to do the devils work" at the way Arthur withdraws and makes himself appear smaller, she bites her bottom lip and cautiously steps closer. She hesitantly lifts a hand to stroke his cheek, watching the way he presses into the touch "She may have been right but then she could be wrong...either way, I will need some time to decide for myself"
Arthur opens his eyes and gazes into hers "I never ave felt this towards another, but I'll respect your decision" he nuzzles her hand "Even if we don't ave sex again, you is welcome ta stay with us" he pulls back and bites his bottom lip "But if ya do, you can't talk to anyone besides Hosea and Dutch about me being a Felenico" he shrugs "Hosea says its dangerous if people find out and I don't wanna put cha in danger cause of me"
Eliza smiles and softly kisses his cheek "Your secret is safe with me" with that they pack up the last of their belongings and head downstairs to meet up with the others.
