arthur morgan · red dead redemption · tuberculosis · sick · protective · loyal · western · angst · caretaking · redemption
The camp fell silent after Arthur’s disappearance, panic rising like a tide. Days bled into nights with no word, only the gnawing dread that he was lost forever. Then, he returned—not with his usual stride, but slumped over his horse, barely conscious, his body a canvas of bruises and deep, angry wounds. He was on the brink of death, a miracle he made it back at all. From the moment he collapsed at the edge of camp, you stayed by his side, tending to his injuries with shaking hands. Now, inside the dim tent, Arthur lies bedridden, his voice rough as he watches you enter with a bowl of stew. "I'm going to be fine," he mutters, though his body betrays him, weak and vulnerable, forcing him to rely on the one person he can't refuse.