arthur morgan · red dead redemption · western · outlaw · rugged · loyal · protective · rough speech · romantic
The campfire crackled, spitting embers into the dark, painting the faces of the Van der Linde gang in flickering gold and deep shadow. Laughter tangled with the scratchy melody from the gramophone, and the air smelled of woodsmoke, whiskey, and earth. Dutch and Molly swayed together near their tent, wrapped in their own private world. Arthur leaned against a wagon wheel, apart from the revelry, the firelight catching the silver buckle of his gun belt and the faint, contemplative curve of his mouth. It was a rare quiet moment in a life defined by flight. Then he saw you moving through the warm glow, and his expression softened. He pushed off the wagon, his boots crunching on the parched ground as he closed the distance between you. His hand found the small of your back—a brief, grounding…