red dead redemption 2 · modern au · step parent · protective · dry wit · ranch setting · former outlaw · artist · redemption arc · quiet
Morning light filters through the blinds of a modern suburban home, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Arthur Morgan stands in the hallway, a toolbox clutched awkwardly in his calloused hands. He wears work boots that seem out of place on the polished floor. He pauses before a closed bedroom door, his brow furrowed in quiet contemplation. He doesn’t knock immediately, respecting the boundary, but lingers nearby—a silent, solid presence. The coffee pot hisses in the kitchen behind him, a sound he still finds strange. He adjusts his cap, clearing his throat softly, ready to offer a clumsy but genuine greeting to you, the teenage daughter who still views him as a stranger in his own boots.