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John wiped the sweat from his brow onto the cuff of his shirt with a sigh. He knew it was a hopeless action and that in less than 5 minutes his face would be damp again. He was still acclimatising to this new southern atmosphere in which everything, at least during the day, was varying levels of damp. He gazed up at the sun’s afternoon position from under his hat and decided he’d done enough fishing for the day. He gathered his haul of a dozen or so fish, tied them together and packed up his kit. His clothes clung to his body as he rose. As he ambled back to camp he became aware of the lack of sounds emanating from the area.
Upon entering camp he realised that it was indeed seemingly empty though there were no signs of a tussle so he saw little cause for alarm. He walked over to the pantry to hang up his fish and make a note in the ledger. As he lifted the fish towards a hook his eyes caught Arthur’s wagon. Arthur lay snoozing in his bunk, hat covering his face, boots covering his feet, a cloth draped over his lap and as far as John could tell nothing else. He dropped the fish then scrambled to catch them mid-air eyes flicking back to Arthur who did not stir. John put down his things and quietly began making his way over sipping the humid air carefully.
The thickly muscled plains of Arthur’s body, peppered with sweat and freckles and scars was remarkable to behold. His breath gently lifted and lowered his chest and John’s heart raced. He swallowed thickly checking the area again to ensure none of their crew were around. He committed every inch of the man to his memory with a searing urgency. He wanted to remember the lines of his neck, jaw and Adam's apple. He wanted to savour the incidental lasciviousness of the moment. His stomach was giddy with fear and anticipation as he drew closer still. The sound of metal clinking froze him to the spot. He looked down to see he’d bumped an empty can on the floor of Arthur’s tent. His hand flew to cover his mouth instinctively.
The world seemed to sway for a minute as Arthur murmured. Every inch of John wanted to run but his body would not move. Arthur turned over to face away from John hat slipping off and the cloth riding up to reveal his bare ass. John balled the hand over his mouth into a fist. He futilely pulled at the crotch of his pants trying to relax the fabric around his growing erection. He felt like a ridiculous randy teenager, not a man with a son and a wife. But Arthur always made him feel this. Made him feel young and hungry. Like he’d never eaten.
He found himself reaching out a hand quaking with panic and desire. He just wanted to touch him for a moment. A hiding would be worth it to know what it felt like to touch him. Touching him would be worth anything John thought lost in a haze of heat and desire.
“If you’re wondering where everyone is” Arthur’s deep rough voice came and John jumped back, whipping his hat off to try and hide his crotch “They’re all out on a big job”
He turned over onto his back stretching slightly and folding his arms behind his head. The cloth mercifully fell back across his crotch as he moved.
“This morning an old friend of dutch’s rolled in and told us about a big stagecoach take a couple of days ride away. Heavily guarded but worth the risk. There wasn’t any time to waste so the gang rode out. Maybe be gone a day or two” Arthur explained eyeing him. John felt his face burning.
“Why didn’t you go with them?” John rasped trying desperately to keep his voice neutral.
“Thought you could use some company holding down the fort” Arthur replied smoothly moving to sit up. He swung his legs around to face John. From where he was standing John could see a hint of Arthur's cock. It looked large and handsome. More so than any he’d seen behind dark brothels and saloons.
“Was I right?” Arthur asked voice rough and quiet. His blue-green eyes were steady and cool. John’s heart hammered against his ribcage as the question hung heavy in the humid space. He knew Arthur wasn’t just asking about company. His nudity made a tantalizing amount of sense now. Still, John hesitated as he nodded unable to find his voice quickly.
“...yeah...” he hushed, legs weak at the possibility. He dropped to his knees before Arthur dutifully. He began to reach out to take Arthur’s cock into his hand, then mouth, but Arthur grabbed his wrist mid-action. He held it gently but firmly and John flinched looking to meet his gaze.
“No” Arthur said before gesturing to his wagon with a tilt of his head “Let’s go in”
John was trying to keep his breathing in check as Arthur stood, now completely naked save for his boots and lead him by the wrist around to the uncommonly empty wagon. He let go of John’s hand and turned as they drew close, reached out and pulled the top button of John’s shirt open. The tiny action split John’s fear in two and he swatted Arthur’s hand away.
“I got it” He snapped ripping off his shirt tersely and pushed Arthur into the wagon hands against the flesh he’d craved. Arthur smirked as John grabbed his head pulling him into a ravenous kiss. He pressed the length of his body up into Arthurs desperate to rub friction into his groin. He felt Arthurs firm hairy chest against his own and let out a barely restrained groan. Finally, he thought. Finally. He moved down to suck and bite Arthur’s neck. He smelled like woodfire and tasted like heaven.
“Easy, easy” Arthur said gruffly grabbing John by the scruff of his neck and holding him back like he were a petulant animal “we got plenty of time”
His gaze burned down Johns body then he let go, turned and lifted himself up into the wagon. John huffed impatiently and followed him inside. Arthur made his way to the back of the wagon and sat down on a bunched tarp legs splayed brazenly.
He patted a sinewy thigh and John begrudgingly slid onto it. Arthur dragged his hand around John's waist and down into the back of his pants. John shuddered with tenuously restrained arousal as he felt Arthur grab his ass. When Arthur reached deeper and began softly massaging his asshole John began grinding Arthur's thigh helplessly unable to remain still.
"Now" Arthur said looking up at his neck voice firm "You been thinking about this for a while, hm?"
"m-hm" John replied head lolling at the mind-numbingly slow rolls of Arthur's fingers.
"Since when?" Arthur asked and John let out a breathy snicker.
"I been thinking about this since I was 16" he growled headily "...I used to follow you when you’d go down to the river to wash...watch you soap yourself...watch the water run over your body...I sit there and wish I could touch the slick of your skin"
John eyed down Arthur's body scarcely able to believe what was happening. He watched Arthur getting hard almost to the sound of his words alone. He leaned down and curled his tongue around Arthur's earlobe before growling into his ear.
"And when I couldn't stand not touching you anymore I'd touch myself"
He reached down and grabbed Arthur's shaft squeezing it and feeling the hard velvet sex between his fingers. He bit and kissed down Arthur's neck to his shoulder. Arthur reached his spare hand over and started undoing John's pants already stained with pre-come.
“And when I'd come I'd come so hard I'd think about it for days after” John swore his arousal making him bold “I'd lay up wishing you’d have me”
Arthur grabbed John’s scarf pulling him in close.
“I would have you,” he rumbled voice as dark as midnight.
Suddenly Arthur was around John’s body lifting him up and pushing him against the opposite wall of the wagon. His body hit the wood with a sweet sting and John sneered.
“I would have you in the grass-” Arthur said yanking John’s pants off and throwing them to the side.
“-Under the stars-” He said pulling John down into his lap. He spat in his hand and rubbed it around John’s asshole then started dragging his cock back and forth across it. John’s breathing hitched as he tried not to lose himself to the sensation of Arthur’s head.
“I’d have you over a fucking barrel if you'd let me” Arthur cursed pushing inside and John let out a moan. Arthur was so big that John struggled with his size. Arthur began thrusting into him the push and pull inside aching and John bit his lip waiting to relax. He closed his eyes tight. After a few moments, the thrusts slowed to a stop and John looked to Arthur who was eyeing him warily. Arthur leaned in haltingly and steadily drew their lips together. The kiss was attentive and dizzyingly deliberate. John hummed sliding his tongue along Arthurs. Then Arthur’s arms encircled him and moved him softly to lay on the floor.
He gently began thrusting the tip of his penis in and out and explored John’s body with his calloused hands. He softly scratched and bit and teased John’s body till John was writhing with every touch. All the while Arthur was pushing a little deeper, teasing John out a little more and John could feel his body going slack with ecstasy.
“Ahhh” he groaned repeatedly body arching under Arthur's touch. Arthur wrapped a hand around John’s cock and John let out a line of swears that made Arthur chuckle.
“Havin a good time?” He asked voice straining with lust.
“Fuck-yes-arthur” John stuttered “don’t stop”
“Wasn’t planin' on it” Arthur replied finally pushing inside in full. He began working John’s cock and fucking him simultaneously. John reached out gripping the wood panels below him to secure him against Arthur’s mind-numbing skill. Arthur slapped into him building a rhythm John knew he wouldn’t hold out for long against. The feeling of Arthur’s dick filling him deep and his hand pumping him almost made him scream.
“Arthur” John moaned “I ain’t gonna be long”
“I know” Arthur replied with a slight tone of arrogance that irked John. In retaliation, he began thrusting his body back pushing Arthur deeper and harder and Arthur swore as he felt John clenching around him.
“Fuck” Arthur snarled lifting John’s ass up more to get a better angle.
“Jesus Arthur” John swore tears stinging his eyes “Shi-ah-fuck-oh-jesus”
“I got ya” Arthur said leaning in close. John wrapped an arm around Arthur’s neck, pressing his forehead to his chest. Arthur wrapped his arms under Johns lower back fucking him harder and faster. John pressed his cheek against Arthur’s head.
“I never shoulda left” John gasped mindlessly into Arthur’s hair. John held him tighter still as he came, his seed shooting out across Arthurs stomach wrenched from him with a cry audible for miles around. Arthur came only a moment later his body jolting hard into John's. He swore fiercely, his voice cracking, into the skin of John’s chest.
"John" he repeated softly as the sweet waves his orgasm petered out with slowing rolls of his hips. John was still shaking when Arthur pulled out gently and moved to lie next to him. He was avoiding Arthur's gaze.
"Hey" Arthur's voice was rough and warm. He reached out drawing John's jaw to look back at him. He looked close to tears.
"Cm'here" he whispered pulling John into his embrace. He kissed John's forehead and brushed his hair away from his face.
"Is this why you left?" Arthur rumbled tracing fingers down John's spine. John ducked his head down to avoid Arthur's eyes.
"...I...wanted you for so….long Arthur" he admitted his voice husky "I didn't think you'd want this"
"Well I've been a fool then" Arthur murmured "For letting you go on so long without telling you"
“Why did you?” John asked quietly. Arthur sighed fingers stroking Johns skin softly.
"Well….didn't exactly feel right when you were younger an me and had nowhere to go" Arthur admitted “Didn’t want you to feel obliged." John snorted.
“I seem like the kind that would oblige anyone I didn’t want to?” John sniggered.
“Mmmm I guess not” Arthur hummed with a smile. A comfortable silence fell over the warm space as they lazilly touched and explored each other’s skin.
"What are we gonna do about Abigail and Jack" John asked the question they both knew had been waiting “I...I love them”
"I know” Arthur said softly and earnestly “Maybe we can work somethin out…I don’t mind sharin..." Arthur let the train of thought trail off "but right now we got days to ourselves, it's hot as hell and we should go get cleaned up”
John watched Arthur rise before holding out a hand to him. John stared at Arthur, the sunlight light shining behind him, his beautiful bottle green eyes crinkled at the edges with affection and an invitation John had only ever dreamed of.
“Hell yes, Arthur” John said taking his hand and grabbing a bar of soap off Arthurs grooming table as they made their way down towards the river “Hell yes”