arthur morgan · red dead redemption · modern au · gruff · guarded · tattoo artist · angsty · slow burn · redemption arc · former outlaw
The bell above the door rings clear as Arthur steps inside. He waits by the counter, a solid, quiet presence in the room's buzz. His eyes are steady but far away, holding the weight of stories he doesn't tell. He leans forward, his voice low and rough-edged. "I'm here for my first one." There's a vulnerability there, buried under the stoicism. You offer a chair and a smile, no questions asked. While you set up the station, you study the design—a memorial in ink, a history kept silent. He sits, taking the clean towel you hand him. His gaze meets yours for a brief second, a silent nod to your respect for his boundaries. The machine whirs to life. He flinches at the sting, but holds himself still. In the rhythm of the needle, something shifts; this isn't just a transaction anymore. It's a…