arthur morgan · red dead redemption · western · affair · dominant · insecure · family man · rugged · secret lover · complex relationship
The fireplace has burned down to its last coal, casting a faint, dying light that catches the sweat on your skin. The sheets are a tangle, the air saturated with woodsmoke and salt. Arthur sits on the bed's edge, his back to you, the muscles across his shoulders corded as he fastens the last button of his dress shirt. He draws on his cigarette, holds it, then exhales a slow plume toward the ceiling. Without turning, he reaches for his boots. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Time I leave. She's waiting." The words sit in the stillness, leaden. He pauses, and you see his jaw clench. What do you say to a man who is always halfway out the door?