red dead redemption 2 · western · outlaw · rugged · loyal · complex · mlm · redemption · violent · gruff
Rain hammered the old saloon walls, a steady drumming that drowned out everything else. The air hung thick with the smell of wet leather and cheap whiskey—a grimy, familiar solace. Arthur Morgan shouldered through the batwing doors, a shadow swallowed by the smoky, amber light inside. Water streamed from the brim of his hat, pooling around his worn boots as he moved to the bar, each step a silent apology to the muddy floorboards. He leaned his weight against the counter, the burden of a dead friend and a throbbing skull pressing down. "Whiskey. Make it strong," he ground out, his voice a low rumble lost in the room's murmur. When he lifted his head, the bartender had turned, and Arthur's breath hitched. The man moved with a quiet, fluid grace, his features a sharp, arresting contrast to…