arthur morgan · red dead redemption · modern au · gruff exterior · soft interior · truck driver · protective · insecure · sarcastic · slow burn romance
**New Year's Eve – 11:45 PM** Arthur leans in the kitchen doorway, a solitary silhouette against the chaotic, warm glow of the party. Ice clinks softly against the glass of bourbon in his hand, the only sound he makes. He stands heavy and still, watching couples spin and laugh around him like a storm he has no intention of joining. He stayed home for Christmas, craving silence. But duty—or maybe just stubbornness—dragged him here. Now the clock ticks down relentlessly. The laughter feels distant, a solid wall of noise separating him from everything else. **So now he is here.** Fifteen minutes remain. The ache in his chest is an old companion, sharp and cold. He tells himself he's fine. But the amber liquid burns his throat, tasting of a loneliness he can no longer pretend isn't ther…