#glad the RDR2 writers are better than that

[arthur-morgans-last-journal]

Abigail can do no wrong tbh, this woman has dealt with so fucking much. John should be glad she gives him the time of day, my god.

As a side point, I do think it's really interesting to compare Abigail and John's relationship as portrayed in RDR to how it's portrayed in RDR2. In RDR Abigail is a former sex worker, and people use that against them both throughout the game as a means of humiliating John and saying Abigail's not the kind of person anyone would mourn. Part of John's nobility as a character in RDR is how he stands steadfastly by his wife and how much he believes in her and their marriage and their mutual potential to leave their pasts behind and change for the sake of their kid.

In RDR2 it's really interesting that the writers decided to make John a lot more uncertain about his relationship with Abigail and also his relationship to Jack, at least prior to Arthur's influence and Abigail leaving him in the epilogue. Abigail's history of sex work is not mentioned explicitly, but if you've played RDR you might assume that's why he doubts Jack's paternity, which may or not be worse than infidelity (not the same thing as sex work) depending on your perspective.

I think John's RDR2 cruelty and indecision is really interesting in the sense that it demonstrates the many ways John has to learn to grow to earn his own titular redemption. He is being a terrible husband and father and eventually he does learn to be better, but Abigail is a saint for not giving up on him in the meantime. That man should be grateful she deigns to yell at him lmao.

every time someone complains about how abigail is "so mean to john," i remember the scene where john sits down at the campfire and broadcasts to the whole camp, including the woman raising his son who he refuses to accept is his, that he would "rather be dead than listen to her crap," and that "if you knew you could kill her and get away with it, you would."

the suggestion that he would kill abigail if he could get away with it is chilling. even if john does not intend to act on these thoughts, merely saying it can be terrifying for abigail, who now lives with the knowledge that the only thing stopping her partner from killing her is the fear of consequences.

it's not just an angry, private moment that can be forgiven; its public humiliation that strips away abigails dignity and exposes her to fear and ridicule.

i mean, with john openly showing physical interest in karen, refusing to accept that jack is his son and denying it vehemently, abandoning her and jack for a year, and with him openly expressing violent intent loudly, in front of the whole camp, it's no wonder that abigail is "so mean to john."

[meeks-just-wants-to-scroll]

You should write a world war two au of the gang. Dutch would've thrived as a general I know it. PS I loved your pregnant cat Micah fanfic xx

Thank you! I am glad you like my pregnant micah fic. ♥️

I ask if you one thing tho: why do you think I would be a good fit for a WW2 AU when I have never once mentioned a defining interest in history or WW2?

Not upset I am just very confused. My track record has been: catboys, pregnant men, fat belly appreciation, mythological animals, speculative evolution, speculative anatomy, and speculative biology in general.

I am a crack AU writer (the sillier the better), not a historical fiction AU writer.

I am sure your suggestion will fall on better ears if you can find a rdr2 writer who knows WW2 history better than me, I am sure someone is out there to fulfill your dream.

[sentine1ist]

T

Your art of Javier is amazing, and i love his cat eyes, and i love the young concept art even more. I'm replaying the game slower, more free roaming and side quests before going through the main ones, and i didn't realise that you could go fishing with Javier and Kieran, so i was super excited when that happened!! That scene when they're going fishing together... Javier and Arthur are very amiable together and i like how they work pretty well together. There was also the homestead robbing thing with Javier that was awesome, with extra dialogue and stuff- it's simple stuff like that, that makes me really happy with characterization. I wish you could spend more time with the other characters.

(Also. Arthur be nice to Kieran for 10 minutes challenge.)

Trying to find good rdr2 fics on ao3 where they aren't weird as fuck about Micah (or dutch) is vv hard. A lot of people really like him for some reason and i just don't understand why? He's a twat waffle, constantly acts as though he's better than everyone and antagonizes and flings slurs around like candy

Anyhoodles.

First off thank you so much 💕!! I appreciate you liking my art it means a lot 🥺

Secondly I'm super glad! I tried my best in my first playthrough to kind of pay attention to every character but I ended up not valuing a lot of them until they were dead 💀... I regretted not speaking to people like Sean and Hosea more especially because they're so interesting. But as I progressed I ended up bonding with a lot and having unlikely favourites, like Reverend Swanson! But those small companionship activities like fishing are really enjoyable and help you develop your understanding so well of Arthurs relationships with other gang members and I rlly wish we got more of them :)

I personally like Dutch but not without a LOT of conflicted feelings/criticisms of his character and have more to dislike than anything else but oh my god you're so right about Micah and him having weird as fuck fics. He has genuinely no redeeming qualities and I won't even entertain people saying they 'like him as a villain' or find him funny because it's honestly so questionable. And people who ship Willscuella are my opp because I don't understand why you're pairing the minority with a man who antagonises him and calls him slurs either? Insane. Not to mention there's this weird habit writers have of repeating the g-slur in fics because it's one of the lesser know racial slurs and I just 😬😬😬

But thank you SM for the ask anon sorry for the massive ramble 😰!

[hysterialevi]

Red Dead Rising | Chapter 4

Fanfic summary: 12 YEARS BEFORE RDR2 - Greed, money, and larceny. These are the only things Arthur has ever known; the only things he’s ever been taught. But when Dutch decides to hit a town called Harlow, what started out as nothing more than a plan to rob the local bank ends up igniting the events that lead to RDR2, and a 24 year-old Arthur is forced to confront his morality while the gang faces a terrifying enemy of their own making.

Point of view: third-person

Author’s note: Omg guys I’m sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I hit a writer’s block for a while (and also ran into a few technical difficulties), but I’m finally happy with it. Hope you enjoy and thanks for being so patient.

This story is also on AO3 and Wattpad

Previous chapter

ABOUT AN HOUR LATER

GILLIS FARM

Trotting underneath the golden sun, Arthur rode through the lush grass and rolling hills as he made his way to Gillis Farm, eager to see his fiancée again.

It had been quite some time since the young man last got a chance to visit Mary. For the past couple of months, Arthur had been so busy running around with the gang and planning robberies with them, that he barely had any time to write to the woman, let alone see her in person.

It made him feel guilty, leaving her hanging for so long. They were going to be married soon, after all... and as a husband, he couldn’t afford to leave his wife alone. If Arthur wanted this marriage to work, he’d have to be there for Mary and support her in their new life together. As a couple.

What truly worried Arthur, though... was his recent conversation with Benjamin.

Up until this point, the young outlaw had been convinced that he was more than ready to go through with the marriage. Arthur loved Mary more than anyone else in his life, and he knew the feeling was mutual. They were practically soulmates by now. How could anything go wrong?

But when Benjamin expressed his doubts pertaining to Mary’s commitment, Arthur couldn’t deny that he shared some of the man’s concerns.

Robert had been such an obstacle in their relationship for these past few years that it was impossible to guarantee he wouldn’t have any influence on Mary in the days to come.

...What if Benjamin and Susan were right? What if Mary didn’t love him as much as he thought? Would she really pick her father’s opinion over a new life with him? It shook the young man to the core to even think about it.

If Arthur lost Mary... he didn’t know what he’d do.

He had put so much time and effort into their relationship that if she simply walked away after all this... he’d feel like she was taking a part of him with her.

There was no way Arthur would be able to just “move on” if Mary decided to drop him, and the mere thought of her leaving him put the man in a state of panic.

But... then again, Mary had yet to actually do anything to solidify his doubts. She had been nothing if not compassionate to him so far, and Arthur knew for a fact that their love was mutual.

These thoughts were probably nothing more than temporary anxiety due to their upcoming wedding. This was most-likely what a lot of people went through before their marriage, and Arthur had to remind himself to calm down.

Everything would be okay. He just had to trust Mary.

Finally arriving at Gillis Farm, Arthur steadily slowed Abitha down to a halt and took in the quaint view, admiring the natural beauty surrounding it.

The farm was located on a flat plot of land that seemed to have nothing but open fields stretching out in front of it, and off to the side, Arthur could see a lively collection of farm animals lazing about inside the fenced area.

There were cows, chickens, pigs, goats, and even some horses, too. A few of the creatures lifted their heads in curiosity at the sight of the young man visiting their farm, but the rest of them seemed to be unbothered and simply carried on with their day.

Hopefully, the same would apply to Mary’s family.

Approaching the hitching posts, the outlaw hopped off his mount and left her near the other horses that were also gathered there, giving her a small treat to thank her for the lengthy ride.

The farm wasn’t a long distance from Indigo Peak necessarily, but Arthur would’ve been lying if he said he had no problems navigating the steep hills and rocky rivers dotting the region. It took a good chunk of effort to not slip in a few places, and he definitely didn’t look forward to backtracking through that mess once this visit was over.

Oh, well. He supposed it was worth it if it meant he got to see Mary.

“Good job, girl...” Arthur said softly, feeding Abitha an oatcake. His companion wiggled her pointy ears in gratitude.

“Arthur!” A woman’s voice suddenly called out to him, getting his attention.

Turning around at the sound of his name, Arthur spotted an elated Mary waving to him from the front porch, trying not to trip over her dress as she walked down the steps to greet him.

At the moment, Mary was wearing a simple yellow blouse paired with a navy blue skirt, and her hair had been tied into a stylish bun. A few annoying strands danced around her face due to the light breeze in the area, but that only gave Arthur the chance to tuck them behind her ear before pulling her into a loving embrace.

“Hello, Mary,” he said softly. “It’s good to see you again.”

Mary smiled, hugging him back. “You too, Arthur. You too. I’m so glad you came. How’ve you been?”

Arthur separated the hug and returned the smile. “Good. Busy, but good.” His expression dimmed a bit. “I’m sorry I didn’t visit you more often. I wanted to, but... things have been hectic lately.”

The woman didn’t appear to be bothered. “Well, you’re here now, Arthur. That’s what matters.”

She fell silent for a moment, changing the subject.

“Are you, um... still with Dutch and Hosea?”

Arthur nodded, although not proudly. He was well aware of what his fiancée thought about the gang.

“Yes. But don’t worry, Mary. I’m gonna leave ‘em soon. We just have one more job to take care of, and then I’ll be gone once the wedding’s here.”

Mary wasn’t entirely convinced. “Are you sure? You may be willin’ to leave, but... do you really think Dutch and Hosea will let you go that easily?”

“...I don’t know,” he conceded. “Maybe not. But I’m an adult now. Even if they don’t like my decision to leave, I’m sure they’ll respect it.”

That seemed to comfort the woman somewhat.

“That’s good to hear. I just... I don’t want there to be any trouble with gangs once we’re married, Arthur. Things’ll be busy enough as is.”

“There won’t be.” He reassured. “Dutch and Hosea may be outlaws, but they’re good men. They wouldn’t put us in harm’s way.”

Mary paused for a second. “...I was talkin’ about the O’Driscolls.”

Arthur raised a brow. “The O’Driscolls? What about them?”

She lowered her voice, pulling the young man closer to her. “It ain’t no secret that they’re not fond of Dutch’s boys, Arthur. Even if you leave the gang, they’ll still see you as one of them. Are you sure we’ll be safe? That... Colm won’t come after us?”

The outlaw shrugged. “What reason would he have? Colm’s main beef is with Dutch. Not me.”

“I know...” Mary said anxiously. “I just... I worry about you. You’re always out there, runnin’ around and getting shot at. It’s impossible to not fear for your safety.”

Arthur gently placed a hand on the side of Mary’s face. “Everything’ll be alright, Mary. I promise.”

The young woman decided to let go of her worries for now and simply let out a sigh, realizing that it was pointless to repeat the same fears over and over again.

Mary may not have liked Arthur’s involvement with crime, but she was also aware that he couldn’t just drop everything and leave. Despite being an outlaw, Arthur also had his own responsibilities to take care of, and for now... she was just going to have to accept that.

But before she could think anymore on the subject, an intrusive voice suddenly joined the scene and called out to the woman, interrupting the affectionate moment she was sharing with her fiancé.

“Mary!” They exclaimed in a gravelly tone.

She let out an uneasy breath, knowing exactly who it was before even seeing them.

“...Daddy.”

Robert Gillis stomped in their direction, pointing an accusatory finger at Arthur.

“What the hell is he doin’ here? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from this boy?”

Mary tried to defuse the situation. “This ‘boy’ is my fiancé, father. I told you already. I’m gonna marry him. Now, please... just calm down.”

The drunken man scoffed. “Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down when my daughter’s marrying some lying, cheating, piece-of-shit outlaw? Bastard probably came here to rob us!”

“Father!” She scolded. “You know he’s not like that. And besides, I invited Arthur here.”

Robert’s eyes narrowed in disapproval. “...Did you, now?”

Mary nodded staunchly. “Yes. He’s our guest. He just wanted to pay me a visit... and he’s also going to join us for dinner.”

Arthur snapped his head towards her.

“Wait, what?”

Mary stood by her decision. “If this marriage is gonna work out, then you two need to get along... and you can start by sharin’ a meal together. Like a family.”

Robert refused. “...That man ain’t no family of mine.”

The young woman remained persistent. “Well, he’s going be. So please... just for one night, don’t start anything. Both of you. Let’s just... have some dinner in peace. Can you do that? For me?”

Arthur sighed in frustration, suddenly regretting having come here in the first place. What the hell was Mary thinking?

Dealing with Robert was bad enough, but sitting down for an entire meal with him? And for the whole evening? He may as well have just shot himself in the foot and saved Robert the trouble.

But... Arthur did care about Mary. And regardless of how much he may have wanted to strangle Robert sometimes, the man was still her father. If Arthur was going to become part of Mary’s family, he’d have to accept his company eventually, whether he liked it or not.

So, against his better judgement, Arthur figured that if this was what she wanted from him, then... he would do his best to make her happy.

“...Alright.” He agreed, albeit reluctantly. “For you.”

Mary smiled warmly at him. “Really? You mean it? Thank you, Arthur.” She turned to Robert. “...And you, Daddy?”

Robert nailed his stern gaze onto Arthur, not even daring to blink as he gave his daughter an answer.

“...Fine. But he ain’t settin’ one foot in this house with that gun on his waist.”

Mary glanced down at Arthur’s holster. “Why not? You’ve got a gun too, father.”

The older man laughed at that. “Yeah, but mine’s for protection. As for him, his type are always unpredictable. They make a living shootin’ people in the wilderness, and takin’ everything they got. There ain’t no way I’m trusting him to enter my house with a goddamn six-shooter hangin’ off his belt. He wants to sit down at my table? With my daughter? Then he’s gotta follow my rules.”

The young woman shook her head in embarrassment. “...Father, please--”

“--It’s alright, Mary.” Arthur reassured, returning Robert’s glare. “...I’ll put my guns away.”

Keeping his eyes glued on Robert, Arthur reached down to undo his gun belt as the other man watched his every move, monitoring him like a hawk. The last thing Arthur wanted was to do anything Robert asked of him, but at the same time, he also didn’t want to start any trouble when Mary was around.

He knew the woman was just doing her best to have them get along. They were both her family, after all, and if Mary was putting in the effort to make this marriage work, then... Arthur supposed he should, too.

It was something much easier said than done, of course, but Mary mattered to him.

Slipping the accessory off, Arthur turned on his heel and trudged back to Abitha, slinging the loose belt over her saddle as Mary and Robert waited for him.

It was humiliating for Arthur to follow Robert’s commands like this, but he knew the fighting would never end if he didn’t comply. He had to be the bigger man in situations like this, and perhaps that was part of what it meant to be a good husband. Didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

“There.” Arthur said, patting his empty waist. “No guns.”

Robert wasn’t finished interrogating him just yet. “...Any knives?”

The outlaw had to hold back his annoyance. “...No, sir. Just guns.”

The other man crossed his arms and fell silent for a moment, clenching his jaw in irritation as he stared Arthur down.

“Alright then.” He finally accepted. “You can come in... but if you try anything funny, just remember that I’ve still got my gun on me. And I won’t hesitate to use it. Got it?”

Arthur bit his tongue. “...I got it.”

“Good. Then let’s head inside.” Robert held up a cautionary finger. “And don’t start nothing.”

~~~~~~~~~~

INDIGO PEAK

THAT EVENING

Meandering around camp, Dutch casually sauntered through the scattered trees and tents as he watched his fellow gang members prepare for the upcoming robbery, all of them eager to get things rolling.

It wasn’t too long ago that he informed them of Benjamin’s long awaited update, and even though the robbery was still a week away, the fact that they were finally going to make their move after two whole months had the entire gang on their toes.

Dutch couldn’t deny that he wasn’t without worry, though. This was the first time they’d ever be hitting a bank, and if he was being honest, Dutch had no idea if his men were ready for this. Hosea and Arthur were some of the best outlaws he’d ever met, sure, but neither of them had experience with a heist of this level.

He supposed he’d just have to trust that his people knew what they were doing. Everyone wanted things to go according to plan, after all, and if he learned anything from his time with them, it was that they wouldn’t do anything to botch this robbery.

At least... not on purpose.

Approaching Hosea’s tent, a soft smile crept onto Dutch’s face as he came across a heartwarming scene, causing him to stop in his tracks so he could watch it unfold.

It wasn’t very often that their gang got the opportunity to be at peace like this. Normally, they were always running away from the law or fighting against their enemies... and as anxious as everyone was to rob Harlow’s bank, Dutch knew it’d be a trigger for chaos once it happened.

And so, with a few moments to spare, Dutch simply leaned against a tree and kept his gaze on Hosea, watching as the man carried on with this serene evening.

“...Your reading’s getting much better, Marston.” Hosea praised as the boy examined the book’s text. At the moment, the two of them were sitting side by side on a log just next to the man’s tent.

“Go on,” Hosea urged. “Keep reading.”

John furrowed his brows in confusion, doing his best to concentrate as he mouthed out the words. “...The Indian chief and his son... p-parleed--”

“--Parleyed.” Hosea corrected.

“...parleyed with the... American... ‘ker-nel?” John turned to him for clarification.

“That’s correct. Keep going.”

The boy paused. “Wait, why does ‘colonel’ have an ‘R’ in it? There’s no ‘R’ in the word.”

Hosea shrugged. “I don’t know, John. That’s just the way it is.”

John was quiet for a moment. “...That’s stupid.”

The other man chuckled in amusement. “Perhaps, but that’s how the English language works.”

The boy sighed wearily. “...I’m bored. Can we read the rest tomorrow? I wanna go play with Arthur.”

Hosea glanced up at the darkening sky and shut the book closed, placing it on his lap.

“Yes, I think now’s a good time to stop. It’s getting late. Though... I’m not sure where Arthur is.” His gaze traveled to the man watching them from a distance. “You have any ideas, old friend?”

Dutch pushed himself off the tree, afterwards strolling in their direction. “I believe he’s still with Mary. I know he went to visit her earlier after our talk with Ben.”

A curious expression spread across John’s face. “Are they still gettin’ married?”

Hosea put the book away and stood up from the log. “Yes, I believe so.”

The boy frowned in response. “...Does that mean he’s gonna leave the gang once they’re together?”

Dutch and Hosea fell silent at that, exchanging looks.

“I...” Hosea trailed off, admittedly somewhat sad to think about it, “...I suppose so. He’s got no choice, though. He’ll have a family to take care of.”

John gestured at the three of them. “But we’re his family.”

“True, but everyone grows up eventually, John. Even you will someday. And who knows? You might find a wife of your own when you reach Arthur’s age. You’ll have to be there for her too when that happens.”

The kid rejected the idea. “Then I don’t wanna do that. Not if it means I gotta leave other people behind. That wouldn’t be fair.”

Hosea put a comforting hand on John’s shoulder, urging the boy to get some rest. “Well, there’s still plenty of time before Arthur and Mary... marry. You’ll get to see him again soon enough. Have no fear. Now, go on. Get some sleep. We can continue reading tomorrow.”

John didn’t appear satisfied with the response, but followed Hosea’s instructions nonetheless. “...Okay. I’ll see you in the morning, then. I guess.”

Hopping off the short log, the boy removed himself from the tent’s vicinity and returned to his own corner of the camp, leaving Dutch and Hosea alone as the two men contemplated everything the kid just brought up.

“...He’s got a point, you know.” Hosea said once the silence settled.

Dutch sat next to the other man, plopping himself down on the log.

“About what?”

“About Arthur. He’s gonna be a husband soon, Dutch. He can’t stay with the gang forever. You know that.”

Dutch shrugged in denial. “I dunno. You and Bessie have been married for a few years now and you’re still with us. You don’t think Arthur could do the same?”

“Oh, I’m sure he could. That boy’s capable of practically anything.” Hosea leaned forward, linking his hands together. “But that doesn’t matter. What truly matters... is whether he wants to. And I don’t believe he does.”

The other man stretched his legs out, getting more comfortable on the log. “What makes you say that?”

“Our situation grows more volatile with every second, Dutch. We have lawmen hunting us from the west, rival gangs coming from the north, and God knows what else lurking in the shadows. Not to mention we’ll be robbing a goddamn bank soon. If Arthur wants a stable life with Mary, he’ll have no choice but to leave this one behind. It’s just not possible to juggle the two at the same time.”

Dutch knew Hosea was right, but still remained reluctant to admit it. He saw Arthur as a son, after all. The last thing he wanted was to see the boy leave.

“...It wouldn’t be the same without that little rascal.” Dutch said despondently. “You, me, and Arthur -- it was the three of us that started this whole thing. That boy ain’t just part of our gang, Hosea. He’s part o’ the foundation. If he leaves...”

Hosea rested a hand on Dutch’s shoulder, trying to help him come to terms with reality.

“I’ll miss him too, old friend. But Arthur’s his own man now. To be honest, I feel like he always has been. If he wants to start a new life with Mary, then perhaps that’s what’s best for him. Better than the life of crime we’ve given him, anyhow.”

Dutch let out a heavy breath, slouching his shoulders. “...I suppose we’ve done all we can for him, haven’t we? Sometimes I forget he’s all grown up now.”

Hosea chuckled. “You and me both. But time moves on, and we have to move with it, Dutch. The most we can do now is wish Arthur luck in his marriage.”

With that said, Hosea stood up from the log with a soft grunt and picked up the storybook he was reading with John earlier, leaving Dutch to his thoughts.

“Well, anyway... I think Bessie’s gonna start cookin’ dinner soon. I should go help. See if she needs anything. In the meantime, try not to think too much about it. Arthur loves us too, y’know, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want us to worry about him.” A quiet laugh escaped him. “...If only that were possible.”

Dutch returned the laugh, returning to his own activities. “Indeed. Stay safe out there, Hosea. I have a feelin’ this week’s gonna go out with a bang.”

“Oh yes, old friend.” The other man agreed. “If there’s one thing I don’t doubt -- it’s that.”

~~~~~~~~~~

GILLIS FARM

A WHILE LATER

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

That was the only thing Arthur could hear as he picked aimlessly at his food, sitting awkwardly at the dining table and waiting for this torturous evening to come to an end.

For the whole meal so far, the rest of Mary’s insufferable family had been discussing nothing but politics and religion as if they lived and breathed the two subjects -- and every once in a while, one of them would turn to Arthur and ask the outlaw for his input.

It was probably the most pretentious conversation he’d ever been a part of. It was evident to the young man that none of these people truly had any interest in politics, and merely brought up the topic because they knew Arthur despised discussing these sort of things. Not to mention the fact that they also assumed him to be highly uneducated, and therefore saw his presence as an opportunity to make themselves feel more intelligent.

The only person at this table who wasn’t irritating the living hell out of Arthur at the moment was Mary herself, but even she had caused him some level of annoyance due to her forcing the man to go through this in the first place.

Arthur just wanted this night to end. He was already well aware of how Mary’s family felt about him, and he doubted that sharing one meal with them would change anything. Hell, Robert already threatened to shoot him before he even set foot in the goddamned house. It was unlikely that a simple chicken dinner would be enough to bring the two men together.

“...Did you hear?” Mary’s aunt Loretta asked as she buttered some bread. “Apparently Reuben Walsh has been at Margaret Whitaker’s throat ever since his father passed. They just can’t see eye to eye.”

Loretta’s husband Wilfred scoffed. “Those two fools will tear Mercy apart with their political war before anything gets solved. They’ve got gangs coming at them from every direction, and yet they’re more concerned about whose crown shines brighter? Abraham Walsh may’ve been old, but at least he knew how to keep the peace.”

Robert laughed at the statement, deciding to throw his own two cents in. “Keep the peace? The only thing that miserable old coot did was swipe all of Mercy’s problems under the carpet. Some people call Reuben reckless, but he’s the only person who’s got the balls to do something about the crime in that town. After all, nothing’s pretty when you’re dealing with that sorta lot. It’s about time Whitaker learned that.”

Mary’s grandmother Helga offered her thoughts. “Well, there are rumors suggesting that the reason Miss Whitaker has been so much of a pacifist is because she’s working with the gangs. It sounds like they’re the only ones keeping her in power.”

“Well, of course they are,” Robert replied. “You don’t get to that high of a position with that amount of ease unless you got someone in your pocket.”

Loretta set her knife down, glancing in Arthur’s direction. “What do you think, Mr. Morgan? I understand that you’re, um... familiar with that sort of lifestyle. Who do you think is in the right?”

Arthur paused for a moment, admittedly unsure of what to say.

“Um...” he said sheepishly, “...I-I’m afraid I don’t know enough about Mercy’s situation to really give an opinion, ma’am.”

“Well then, let me run it down for you.” Loretta offered. Arthur wished she hadn’t.

“The Whitakers and the Walshes are the two most powerful families in Mercy,” she explained. “They both carry an extravagant amount of wealth and influence, but recently, have butted heads with each other. You see, Mercy has always had quite a persistent problem with local gangs in the area, and both of these families want to deal with them. They just disagree on how.”

Arthur tried to pretend he was interested. “What do they wanna do?”

“Margaret Whitaker believes that their town is too small to stand up to such a large amount of outlaws, and thinks that the safest solution is to negotiate a deal with them in order to keep the peace in Mercy. As for Reuben Walsh, he would prefer to take on a more direct approach. He thinks that Margaret’s plan to negotiate with them will only lead to more trouble, and wants to wipe out the criminals entirely. But by doing so, he would risk an open war with Lord knows how many gangs.”

Wilfred jumped in. “Not to mention that the man himself is also a cripple. Apparently, the boy’s half blind and moves around in a wheelchair. A wheelchair, for heaven’s sake! How can a man like that fight against anyone?”

Robert boomeranged the subject back to Arthur. “Well? Any thoughts?”

The young man let out a sigh, thinking deeply about the argument.

What did they expect him to say? They all knew he was an outlaw himself, and there was no question that they dragged him into this God-awful conversation purely to put him on the spot.

Still, Arthur knew he’d have to give them some kind of answer if he wanted to keep them satisfied. Yeah, they might’ve been doing this just to humiliate him, but if it meant being one step closer to finishing this nightmare of an evening, he’d do anything.

“...Whitaker, I guess.” Arthur replied. “Why risk more peoples’ lives when you’ve already got a solution standin’ in front of you?”

Surprisingly, Loretta seemed to approve of the response. “Well said. It’s never pleasant to deal with these sorts of people, but when there’s that many of them crying out for blood on the horizon, sometimes you’ve got no choice but to comply.”

Robert, on the other hand, only appeared to dislike Arthur even more. “Yeah, of course he would agree with that.”

“What do you mean by that?” Arthur asked, sounding more irritated than he intended. The young man couldn’t deny that his ability to hold back was deteriorating by the minute.

“...You know damn well what I mean.” Robert fired back. Mary shot a disappointed look at him.

“Daddy, please. Not now.”

“If not now, then when? You know what kind of a man he is, Mary! He may say he’s prepared to commit to a marriage with you, but we all know he’s always gonna be an outlaw at heart. That boy’s gonna get you killed someday, and you’re gonna wish you listened to me!”

Arthur decided to bite his tongue and reached for his drink, only to find himself gripping the glass harder and harder the more Robert prattled on about him.

“Nothin’ to say, Mr. Morgan?” The man challenged. “Oh, you’re big and bad when you’ve got a gun in your hand, alright, but face a real man for once, and suddenly you’ve gone mute!”

“Daddy!” Mary reiterated. “Please! That’s enough. I didn’t bring Arthur here just so you two could start an argument! I brought him here because I wanted you two to start gettin’ along! Is that so hard?”

“He’s got no place in this family, Mary!” Robert exclaimed. “In fact, he’s got no business being on this farm at all. I only let him in because you asked me to. But look at the man! He hasn’t got a single, goddamn clue what any of us are talkin’ about. He’s got no education, no real job, and no real family! The closest thing he’s got to family is a group of dirty, filthy, worthless inbreds!”

Arthur suddenly sprang straight up from his chair and glared at Robert, unable to restrain himself anymore.

Mary jumped at the abrupt motion and held an arm in front of Arthur, desperately attempting to diffuse the situation.

“Arthur! Please, sit down!”

“See?!” Robert accused, pointing a finger at him. “What’d I tell you? The man’s an animal!”

Arthur firmly placed his hands on the table, leaning towards the other man.

“You got somethin’ to say, you say it to my face when you ain’t cowering behind your own daughter. The only reason I agreed to share a meal with you is ‘cause I wanted to smooth things over, but that doesn’t mean I’m just gonna sit here and take this nonsense!”

Robert glowered at Arthur. “...Excuse me?”

The young man tore the napkin from his lap and tossed it down on the table. “No, I’ve excused you enough for one night. I’m done.”

Storming out of the farm at the speed of light, Arthur made a swift exit and left the rest of Mary’s family in a state of shock as the woman herself chased after him, following her fiancé into the cool weather of the night.

“Arthur!” She called out. “Wait!”

But the young man ignored her and simply carried on with his escape, heading towards the hitching posts.

“Arthur!” Mary repeated, desperate to get his attention. “Please! Just... hold on a moment!”

The outlaw stopped in his tracks, letting out a frustrated breath. “What, Mary? What more do you want from me? Look, I tried, okay? I really did. But I can’t go back in there. There’s nothing in this world that could please that sorry excuse of a man.”

The young woman frowned. “That’s my father you’re talkin’ about, Arthur.”

Arthur unhitched Abitha from the post and retrieved his gun belt. “Well, what else d’you want me to say, Mary? That he’s a nice man? That... he’s kind and compassionate?”

Mary sighed. “Whatever you may think of him, he’s still my father. I just want you two to get along. Is that too much to ask?”

The man shook his head. “Listen... I love you, Mary, but your father is never going to accept me. It’s clear that he’s already made up his mind, and there’s nothin’ we can do to change it.”

“Well, your outburst certainly didn’t help things, Arthur.”

The outlaw was perplexed. “What did you expect me to do? Just sit there and take it? You heard the way he was talkin’ about Dutch and Hosea. About these people I consider to be my family. How can you expect me to respect him when he doesn’t respect me?”

Mary crossed her arms. “I’m sorry, Arthur. I know my father did wrong tonight, but all I wanted this evening was for the both of you to put your differences aside. Can you not even do that?”

Arthur mounted his horse, gesturing back to the farm. “Maybe you should ask him that question.”

Falling into silence, the couple took a minute to gather themselves as Mary’s family started cleaning up inside, causing the distant sound of clattering plates to reach their ears.

It had been a long night for the both of them, but Arthur was especially worried about what sort of impact this incident was going to have on their marriage. He couldn’t help but repeat what Benjamin said to him over and over again in his head, and the more he thought about the man’s words, the more he started to think he may’ve had a point.

Perhaps Mary was going to choose Robert over him. It was evident that she still loved the man despite his drunken behavior, and no matter what Arthur did, it always felt like the other man had the upper hand when it came to influencing Mary’s decisions.

Jesus Christ... what kind of hole had Arthur dug himself into this time?

“...Look, Mary,” Arthur said softly, breaking the silence, “I’m sorry for what happened tonight. I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this, but... I just can’t deal with that man anymore. I can’t go back in.”

Mary nodded in an understanding manner and watched sorrowfully as Arthur led Abitha away from the posts, preparing to go home.

“I... I understand, Arthur. Thank you for trying, at least. I know you didn’t want this. I just wish things could’ve gone better.”

Arthur hung his head low. “...Yeah. Me too.”

She walked up to him. “Well... anyways, it’s gettin’ late. You should probably head back to camp now. I reckon Dutch and Hosea might be wondering where you are. Try to stay safe, okay?”

The outlaw gave her a reassuring look. “I will. You take care of yourself too, Mary.”

The woman returned the remark with a caring smile, bidding her fiancé farewell as he disappeared into the night. “I will.”

[cdfreak]

Top 5 RDR2 girls!

1) sadie adler!! she is the loml. i love her development throughout the story, and how her and arthur become friends and how she becomes such an essential part of the gang, leading them when dutch and arthur and the rest were on guarma, even though she only joined them at the beginning of that spring. also shes hot and its cool how good she is with knives

2) SUSAN GRIMSHAW. i love this woman more than words can express. she’s kinda strict with the girls but she truly loves and cares about everyone in that camp (except for like. micah) she is such an essential part of the gang and i am so thankful to her for helping keep things running smoothly. she’s such a badass and she was so awesome in that mission where her and Arthur rescued Tilly. she absolutely did not deserve what happened to her and i miss her so much :-(

3) abigail!!!  shes so amazing son deserves a better life than this” and she only came back to him when he proved he was going to be reliable and a good father. i love her so much!!! and im so proud of her for sticking with it and keeping on trying to learn how to read, that cant be easy. im so sad that her life became such a tragedy, but im glad she got a few years of peace on the ranch with her family. seeing how happy she is in the epilogue makes me like. cry almost slkfjks

4) its a tie between mary-beth and tilly! they’re both so sweet and i absolutely love their interactions with arthur and how they support him when hes sick, and even before that just when he was stressed out in chapter 2. im so happy they got away from the gang and im SO happy for them that tilly got married and pregnant and that mary-beth became a successful writer

5) black belle ! i dont have a whole paragraph to write abt her like i did the others i just think she’s cool as hell askljlsdf

honorable mention: karen, i love her so much and im so sad she lost sean and then died because of her alcoholism :-( she deserved so much better