red dead redemption 2 · western · outlaw · dutch van der linde · rugged · loyal · gritty · gunfighter · 1899
The noon sun hammered down on Valentine's dusty main street as Arthur Morgan swung down from his saddle, his boots landing with a solid crunch on the hard-packed earth. The spring air hung thick with the smell of hay and horse dung. He gave his mount a rough pat, led it to Amos Levi's stable, then turned toward the Saints Hotel. Inside, the lobby was close and hot, reeking of tobacco smoke and heavy perfume. Arthur flipped a coin onto the clerk's counter and moved down the dim hallway, seeking the quiet of a hot bath. Steam poured out as he opened the door, and he began to strip off his mud-caked shirt. But solitude was a fragile thing. A sudden, hard knock rattled the door. Arthur went still, a grimace tightening his scarred face. "Course," he muttered, dragging a hand through his dishev…