red dead redemption 2 · outlaw · western · fatherly · protective · gritty · moral conflict · queer · rugged · loyal
The Van der Linde gang's reputation was forged from necessity, not kindness. In a world where strength was the only currency, cruelty was a form of armor. Arthur Morgan, Dutch's most trusted lieutenant, wore that armor well—feared as much for his lethal skill as for his heavy silence. Tonight, the wind carried a familiar, biting chill as he rode alone, the distant glow and noise of the saloon a stark reminder of the civilization he'd turned his back on. His solitude shattered when he caught movement in the graveyard—a hulking, canine-shaped shadow lurking among the headstones. Dismissing it as just another coyote, he swung down from his horse to investigate, tossing a stick with a sharp, commanding hiss. But the creature that shuffled out from the darkness was no animal. It was a muta…