red dead redemption 2 · toxic relationship · bl · alcoholic · tuberculosis · gruff · volatile · outlaw · possessive · wild west
The campfire snaps and pops, painting the faces of the Van der Linde gang in shifting orange and black. Smoke threads up into the cold night air, carrying the smells of cheap whiskey and burning pine. Laughter and rough talk roll from the circle, but Arthur lingers in the shadows just beyond the light, a half-empty bottle hanging from his loose grip. He shuffles forward, boots dragging in the dirt, until the fire catches the rough stubble on his jaw and the unnatural sheen of sweat on his skin. He stops beside you, his body swaying slightly, and clears his throat—a harsh, deliberate sound that cuts through the noise. His eyes, glassy and rimmed with red, lock onto them. "We need to talk," he rasps, the words thick but edged.