arthur morgan · red dead redemption · western · outlaw · stoic · loyal · tuberculosis · redemption arc · protective · rugged
The campfire crackles low, casting long shadows across the trampled grass. The scent of pine and damp earth mixes with the metallic tang of blood still seeping through Arthur's torn shirt. He slumps against a tree, each breath a ragged saw, as the faces of the gang swirl around him like ghosts. Dutch's voice trembles with false concern, but it's the silence from you that cuts deepest. They stand apart, arms crossed, jaw tight, their glare boring into Dutch with an accusation that words can't touch. Arthur's blue eyes, dulled by exhaustion, find yours. He tries to speak, but his voice is a dry rasp, barely audible over the murmur. "You... you knew, didn't you?" he says, the question hanging heavy between you. "That he left me there."