The Morgan Clan || A Red Dead Story

Chapter 1; Curious Couple

"Aha!" A triumphant voice split the still morning air.

"Whatcha got, Albert," Arthur Morgan asked as he trudged toward his partner, mud of the Dakota River bank squelching underneath his boots.

"I believe I've found what you're looking for!" Albert Mason pointed animatedly towards a plant subtly different from those around it. Arthur stepped away from the bank and walked through the windswept grass, fingers grazing it ever so softly. "This is Thyme if I'm correct?"

"That you are," the cowboy chuckled, "good job. You seem like you're finally gettin' the hang of livin' rough." The expression Albert gave in response made Arthur's heart swim and a smile grow on his face.

"Why thank you, Mister Morgan. I've had a good teacher after all!" The photographer winked at him and Arthur bent his head to hide his blush.

"It was nothin'. If we're gonna keep doin' this, then you've gotta be able to do some of this yerself. Also, stop callin' me Mister Morgan, we're way passed that."

"Oh, but I like calling you that. A fine man such as yourself deserves the title." A hand snaked around Arthur's waist and another took his hat off. He flicked his head up just in time to meet Albert's lips with his own. The photographer was smiling, and when he pulled away his eyes were alight with something Arthur could only perceive as adoration. His own eyes undoubtedly held the same shimmer.

"Well, in that case, I should still be able to call you Mister Mason." Arthur captured Albert's lips again for a moment before pulling away and taking his hat back.

"Hey!" Albert's hands grasped for the hat, but Arthur stepped out of his reach. "Give that back!"

"It ain't your hat, Albert!" Arthur danced away from his partner's hands.

"I know it's not, but I stole it fair and square!" Albert ran after his cowboy in mock anger, hands barely touching the hat before it was whisked away again.

"Oh? So you're the outlaw now? Guess I must've rubbed off on ya-Woah!" Stumbling over a rock, Arthur fell into the grass.

"In more ways than one!" Albert plucked the hat from the cowboy's grasp before plopping down next to him on the ground. He laid the hat on the grass and turned to meet his partner's eyes. Both of them were wide, and his face was very red.

"Mister Mason. I didn't know you were so forward," he said before Albert gave him a punch in the shoulder, producing a huff of laughter from the man.

"If I'm correct, I was always the forward one. If I hadn't propositioned you, we wouldn't be here and you'd most likely be dead," Albert said matter-of-factly. Arthur frowned, a hollow feeling quickly forming in his chest. He turned away and looked up at the sky.

"Yeah, yer right. If ya hadn't done what you did I'd've been either shot to Hell or hanged in Blackwater or Saint Denis..." Albert's brows furrowed and he reached over to place a firm but gentle hand on Arthur's cheek, pulling his eyes towards the photographer's.

"Arthur, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. I know you miss them." Arthur's larger hand encased his own.

"Yeah, I do. I wish I still had 'em, 'specially Dutch and Hosea. And- and I know John's alive, but we can't see each other and I hate it. Honestly, I feel like I never should'a made that deal with the Pinkertons after everyone else'd been killed." It was like clouds had shifted over the landscape and brought darkness into Arthur's heart.

"If you hadn't made that deal, neither you nor the Marston family would've been let to live. Because of you that little boy I met will have a life." And there was the sun breaking through the clouds.

"Hmm. I guess yer right. I just wish I'd done something sooner, so I could've saved 'em all."

"I know you do. But what's done is done, and you have to accept the effects," Albert smiled, "Aren't you grateful to have me?" Arthur snorted at that.

"Of course I am. Without you I'd be drunk off my ass in some saloon God knows where or done something I'd've regret." The two men looked each other in the eyes for a long moment before Albert wrapped his arms around the cowboy and pulled him close.

"I love you, Arthur Morgan. Did you know that?"

"I did. And I love you too, Albert Mason. Did you know that?"

"I did."

~~

A/N: Just a note before we delve deeper into our story. Each chapter is going to be 2/3 pages long. I don't want y'all to have to pause in the middle of a chapter! More breaks for you guys! :)

I will also be crediting the gif creators at the end of each chapter. 

This gif was created by eerronblack on tumblr!