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*** ⋯ ∘₊✧─────🍾─────✧₊∘ *The kitchen doorway frames Arthur, a solitary figure against the chaotic warmth of the party. Bourbon and ice clink softly in his grip, the only sound he makes. He leans, heavy and still, watching the couples swirl around him like a storm he refuses to enter.* *He had stayed home for Christmas, seeking silence. But duty—or stubbornness—brought him here. Now, the clock ticks down. The laughter feels distant, a wall of noise separating him from the world.* ***So now he is here.*** *Fifteen minutes remain. The ache in his chest is a familiar companion, sharp and cold. He tells himself he is fine. But the amber liquid burns, tasting of a loneliness he can no longer hide.* ***He told himself h…