#rdr2 character reactions

[softrozene]

Reacting to Dutch Wanting a Night with Their Girl

Anonymous requested: Okay, so, I’ve had this in my head for a while. Dutch is a gross old guy who likes pretty young ladies, right? Well, Arthur/John/Javier has this real cute and super affectionate little thing on his arm. What? They’re married/engaged/dating? No, it’s fine. He taught that boy how to read! Giving up his girl for a night isn’t that big of a deal, he’s sure asking them in the middle of camp will go well. 

rdr2 masterlist

ALJSFDASKL This is so long omg. Let me know if you wanted something specific or anything- Wasn’t too sure if it was a request but I had to give my input. This is how I thought they would react and lmao this was super fun. 

Originally published on January 5, 2021

Arthur, Javier, John x Female Reader

Warnings: Dutch is super gross in this - We don’t stan, we do stan the three who stick up for their girl, Dutch is vulgar - I really did Dutch dirty in this but it was bound to happen eventually.

Words: ~900

Okay, one thing they all share in common is if it were you saying that Dutch said something to you, they would all be hesitant. Like “Nah, he didn’t mean it that way” or “Are you sure he said that?” or “I’ll go talk to him”- Then they end up doubting you as Dutch lies his way out of it (Yes, they would sadly be the dudes that apologizes for their friend’s behavior too)

They are hesitant only because Dutch did offer them a chance as part of the family in the gang- He did give them a decent chance at life and as anon said- Taught them to read and write. They see him as someone they owe a great lot to- so if you suddenly talk bad about him, they will want to defend him, or he will point the blame at you

In other words, their loyalty to Dutch will for sure make them not believe you at first

However- If they witness it that is an entirely different story:

Charles wasn’t asked for, but I will say since he is not that close with Dutch other than respecting him for being treated well in the gang, he will straight-up knock out Dutch the second he hears anything vulgar- Or whether you inform him. You matter more than the gang and he will defend you

 Arthur Morgan-

You have been skittish lately. That does not sit well with Arthur since you are only skittish with Dutch around- He thinks it is just because you are shy and nothing else until-

Dutch- Sweet, old, crazy Dutch comes up to the both of you, more so looking at Arthur in an expecting way and asks for a night with you- With others as witnesses nonetheless?

All of you would be stunned-

Dutch has a fucking serious tone- Arthur will be frozen then just stare at him for the longest time

“Dutch- You drunk?”

“What? Son, I would never- I was simply asking a hypothetical ‘what if’ question since you have such a divine being hanging on your arm all the time. You can’t deny the chemistry we have when we look- Hey now, don’t give me that look, Son. You know I would only ask if it would benefit you-“

He would keep saying creepy things along those lines and Arthur just snaps

Either by straight-up punching him in the face- Tackling him- Anything, no one can pry him off of Dutch until he good and satisfied that this once honorable man he looked up to will never gaze upon you again in that creepy face

He loses all respect for Dutch and Dutch’s confidence with how he thought he could get Arthur’s girl for a night

Everyone is wary and on edge, but it is for the better

Molly probably opens up her eyes

 John Marston-

Dutch does not even have to say anything- John notices the looks he has been giving you and he does not like it one bit

Dutch would not go to him first- Instead, John would confront him in the middle of the camp and be like “You serious right now Dutch? Eyeing my woman when I am right here, and Molly is over there?”

Dutch will respond: “I ain’t touching- I am just looking.” Or “Can you blame me? Look at her.”

“That is low- Even for you Dutch”

If Dutch even tries to defend himself, be fancy with his words, or place the blame on you- You can bet John will not hold back- The boys will have to pry him off Dutch (after letting John get a few hits in because Dutch ain’t as sly as he thinks he is)

This really is one of the worse things John has seen and he won’t stand with it (depending on how much he cares about you tbh) Like if he sees you as his wife you bet, he is ready to ditch the gang again but with you this time

We’re pretending Abigail and Jack are in a healthy place- Not this universe lamflasd

 Javier Escuella-

I really hate to say this guys but the way Javier reacts depends on what chapter you are in- In the gang.

Before Chapter 5+6 he would react on your behalf-

“Dutch- Did you really ask if you can borrow mi amor?”

He is pissed- He is beyond livid, he will try to be calm and collected but that will not last long and he will act on your behalf demanding Dutch respects you

If this happens after 5 and during 6- He will really think about it

He already betrayed Arthur and John, the gang is falling apart, all he has is Dutch and you- So he will really consider it (but I doubt he would let Dutch go through with it)

After Chapter 6 though- He will not hesitate to cut a bitch Dutch

He realized that he really lost the family that had his back, and it is all because of Micah and Dutch so if Dutch has the gall to ask him after everything you all went through- It is on- He will fight for your honor and he will apologize constantly afterward for helping to ruin the family you both loved and shared

[heavenlymorals]

I absolutely NEED to hear your thoughts on Bill liking Kieran your writing is so good

@escapingsin

Thank you so much ❤️❤️

I am but a servant of the people and I have been put on God's green earth to serve (cunt)- so of course!

Let's start off with the basics- Bill is gay. Though it hasn't been officially confirmed by Rockstar, it doesn't take a genius to see that that man is gay. He's the only male gang member with no female relationship or mention of a female relationship and his sexuality is implied multiple times by gang dialogue: "Arthur and Martha, or Bill and Phil." "Is he about to kiss that guy or punch him."

Oh and the hair pomade request. That was a lubricant back in the day and Bill is balding- doesn't mean he can't use pomade to slick back what he does have, but let's put two in two together, babes. He's messy, stinky (Dutch: "You could try washing"), and doesn't really take care of himself. I doubt he wants pomade for the sake of styling his hair, let's just get that cleared up.

And there is also his reaction to Arthur getting r**** in the swamp. I won't go too deep into it in this post but I have made a post all about it here :

But the main point of that post is that Bill is trying to test the waters to see if Arthur is also gay because I doubt Sonny would tell him what actually happened.

So yes: Bill is gay.

He's also gay in 1899 America, where homosexuality and homosexual acts can be met with jail time or even death. It wasn't a kind time period to gay people and Bill represents this by his general attitude. He's isolated and angry because of men. He hates them and he is attracted to them and that makes him act flustered and violent many times throughout the story. He can't properly express how he feels either about men because even in the gang, it wasn't accepted of him to be gay and it was treated as an out of sight, out of mind sort of thing.

So what does this have to do with Kieran?

Well, Bill likes Kieran, but what makes their dynamic interesting is that while the rest of the gang members, bar Dutch, Hosea, and maybe Arthur as the old guard, have the same status, Kieran doesn't. He is below them because of his former status as an O'Driscoll and any mess up or disrespect can very much end with him getting killed or punished in some way- the amount of characters threatening to castrate him is insane.

Kieran doesn't have the same protection as the other gang members, nor the respect, so Bill can get "close" to him without any real pushback because no one would stop him. And given the frustrations that Bill already has + the homophobia of the 1800s + the opportunity to hop on some "fresh meat", he wouldn't know how to express his interest in Kieran besides aggression and overly friendly aggression.

Like there is the scene where he tries to give Kieran a drink out of kindness. He starts off friendly, but when Kieran declines, he becomes aggressive, and Kieran being terrified for his safety, takes the drink and runs away, with Bill begging for him to come back, confused at the whole situation. He can only do that because of his seniority status over Kieran. Remember the reaction Bill has to Arthur being SA'd? He is playful, not aggressive, and doesn't get aggressive because Arthur, even though he aggressively tells him to get lost, has a higher rank than him.

And of course, you have Charles and Arthur talking about how Bill likes no one and then Charles says that he likes Kieran with both him and Arthur then laughing at it because of what it implies.

Bill likes Kieran but because of the life he lives and the attitudes of society and the gang in regards to homosexuality and just him in general, he can't bring himself to act normally with Kieran to express his attraction to him, which leads to poor Kieran getting terrorized the way he is.

Poor, poor Kieran.

[brujahinaskirt]

Just some lil' thangs you might not notice about the level of detail RDR2 puts into Arthur's interactions with horses if you aren't personally experienced with horses:

[Sorry if this has been done! I couldn't find a post like it in recent tumblr history, and hope I can at least add some thoughts that haven't been analyzed to death already!]

(First, a note about me: I was raised on a quarter horse ranch and trained by a cadre of old-school cowboys in the Western tradition. Some of them were excellent teachers and some of them were crabby-faced bastards who thought "horsemanship" = engaging in a constant war with your horse... which gives me a little insight into positive and negative horsemanship styles on display in RDR2.)

(Second, thanks to fellow horsegirl @mangocats for helping me compile this list!)

(Third, a simple note to say that although I playfully use the term "horsegirl" in this post, the notes here apply to any gender. Same goes for the use of terms like "horsemen," which is not commonly used in the Western equestrian world to indicate a rider's real gender.)

Now, without further ado:

Press X to Calm. Arthur uses a tried-and-true low-stress, gradual escalation method of approaching and calming a spooked horse that begins with establishing physical contact with one hand and slowly increasing contact until the horse is fully calm and is once more amenable to human direction & commands. This is usually a preferable method to getting a frightened horse under control imo, but it's a "soft hand" method, and not something you always see in machismo-loaded equestrian circles. I've written about this a little in another meta post, so I won't get too deeply into it here.

Overall Horsemanship Style. You'll notice that while he does occasionally drive them hard in emergencies such as escaping the law or chasing a train, Arthur never "forces" his horses to comply with commands; in other words, he doesn't use his strength to try and bully a horse into doing something, like crossing a river, or physically punish a horse to "desensitize" it. "Forcing" horses to do things using tack designed to create discomfort or using raw bodily intimidation + fear & pain-motivated negative reinforcement is a tragically common tradition in old-school Western riding (and still advocated by some popular TV equestrians whom I think are straight-up animal abusers... if you know you know). It's dismal, but for a lot of the cowboys I know/knew, when a horse isn't obeying, you need to "show it who's boss." Arthur never approaches animals this way. By contrast, especially for the time period, he is exceedingly patient with horses and animals in general. We can even see this in his dialogue to wild horses; when they gradually calm down after the initial "breaking in" process, Arthur usually says something companionable like, "See, we're friends now."

And a sub-point on that: Horsemanship Temperament. Arthur never gets mad at or yells at his horse. Even when he gets chucked to the ground, he'll yell DAMN, THAT HURT, and then it's back to trying to calm the spooked horse. Which is exactly the right attitude to have. (Though if you've never been hurled face-first into a pile of sun-baked manure because your horse saw, idk, a twig on the road, you might not appreciate how even-tempered a character Arthur is for never succumbing to the temptation to yell, "COME ONNNN GIVE ME A BREAK IT'S A STICK YOU SILLY BITCH!")

Horse responsiveness. The horse emotional cues in this game are incredible, from their reactions to other animals and weather events to their reactions to Arthur. You can see the horse's neck muscles tense and relax when being calmed, their eyes changing in size, their head drop and raise in response to the reins, and their annoyance seeping through with stomps and pinned ears well before they start to spook. When Arthur speaks to his horses, you can even see a subtle ear flick backwards as they listen to him. When he gives certain commands (such as a mild squeeze of the knees to speed up a bit), a calm and attentive horse will often issue an affirmative snort; this is incredibly lifelike and essentially a "roger roger" between horse and rider. I was also impressed that Arthur uses his thighs and his knees to cue his horse more than his heels. Usually you just see the dramatic heel cues in in video games, but in real life, a rider gently but firmly squeezes their knees/thighs far more often than laying into their horse with boot heels, which is a fabulous way to get sent to the moon. One thing I would have liked to see is more riderless idle horse animations. Lazy or bored horses do a very classic pose where they rest their weight on one side, cock a hip out, and jauntily kick a back hoof up. It would have been right at home at the hitching posts in RDR2, and the horses are otherwise so lifelike, I find myself missing this little pose.

Historical bits. As players, we don't have much choice with this, since Rockstar matched bits to saddles rather than letting us customize them. With that disclaimer out of the way: Arthur uses a wide range of bits, some of them much harsher than others, designed to offer more control over a difficult horse's head through pressure points within the mouth. This is historically sound and far from obsolete in modern horsemanship, though I would certainly avoid using some of the harsher bits in RDR2 on my horses to avoid hurting them accidentally. That said, it's important to note that "harsh" control bits (like those wickedly straight-shanked bits you see with some of the cooler saddle styles) aren't instantly or automatically painful. While many of us modern horsegirls may frown upon the just-for-the-hell-of-it use of many styles of old-school, Wild West bit, in the hands of an experienced horseman with a good sense of appropriate rein pressure (which we can assume Arthur is), even a curb bit should not be a tool of pain. In the hands of a novice, however, some of those bits would absolutely hurt a poor horse's mouth and are typically reserved for troublesome (potentially dangerous) animals who may need to be curtailed quickly. I'm assuming Rockstar chose them for style more than characterization... but I do wince when I see those hard stops with the straight shanks, every time.

Horsetalk. We all know Arthur baby talks horses, and that his babble to his horse increases in affection with bonding level and varies a little depending on the horse's sex. But he also does something peculiar and frankly delightful with his vocal modulation on certain horse chatter lines. In those moments where he seems to go a little vibrato, warbling his voice as he talks ("waiaiaiaiaiaiaiat! come bahahahahack!" he calls after a fleeing mustang), Arthur is actually mimicking calming/positive horse sounds (usually a friendly nicker or a greeting whinny) in an attempt to communicate in horse language. While I think a TON of horsegirls have secretly nickered at our horses when no one else is around the stable, making horse noises at your horse is not a "traditional" training technique, and imo is something other gang members would definitely make fun of him for. It is also very adorable. I wanted to add that while horses are excellent at noise commands (like whistles, clucks, kisses, etc.), they usually aren't very good at identifying spoken word commands, including their own names. Therefore, the majority of the talking Arthur does to his horse is just free companionable chatter, much like we babble to our house pets. The command is in the cluck, the leg pressure, the yah, the rein slap; it's not the spoken, "Come on, girl, here we go!" That's just Arthur being a horsegirl.

Saddle checks. If you pay close attention, in cutscenes and in the map, Arthur will occasionally reach down and test various pieces of his saddle. This is particularly true with checking the cinches (those big straps that loop behind the front legs and under the belly), which good riders often do, as saddles can adjust during a ride. Straps that are too tight or too loose will cause a horse discomfort, since they change the way the saddle rests upon them and distributes the rider's weight. You can even watch the saddle shift when Arthur mounts and dismounts, reflecting the changed distribution in weight! This honestly floored me the first time I saw it. Rockstar really consulted people who know their stuff.

Bad Habits. IMO, Arthur's a little slouch-backed in the saddle. This is noticeably worse if he's hungry or sleepy, but even well-fed and rested, his shoulders drop and curve out his spine more than is ideal. This won't hurt his horse, but it will come back to bite him directly in the lower back as he ages, and I argue it's probably biting him in the ass a little now. (More on that below.) Arthur's "behind the horse" etiquette isn't particularly lifelike. In RDR2 (as in life), sometimes idling or benignly messing around behind a horse will cause them to randomly kick, and any equestrian knows not to hang out aimlessly in the kick zone. IRL, if you're about to walk close behind a horse, it's good etiquette to reach out and gently lay a hand on a horse's hip to let them know you're going to pass behind them before you step into the kick zone. I would have liked to see an animation for this, but I'd guess this would have been a real pain to animate without "locking" Arthur in place (as with the petting and brushing animations), so I can't really count this against him in good conscience. He also holds his reins in a full fist rather than between the appropriate fingers. This is a novice mistake, but I'm guessing this is an animation choice more than a characterization one, because I can't imagine getting those wobbly rein physics to rest perfectly between a model's wee little fingers. Which brings us to...

Reins. Arthur keeps a pretty tight (though not oppressive) grip on the reins when he has a horse in motion, facilitating quick communication from rider to horse and increased emotional response from the horse, and he tends to use both reins when he isn't holding something else. This increases control and often allows for clearer communication between horse and rider in comparison to the laxer "rein knot" one-handed Western style. More on that point: Arthur sometimes holds the reins in one hand. This is not lazy horsemanship, but rather a mainstay of the Western riding tradition; holding the reins in one hand allows for a rider to keep one hand free for whatever they might need... usually rope/weapons. Using two hands, one rein in each, does deliver much more refined control (especially with a nervous or inexperienced horse), which is why you often see Arthur switch between one- and two-handed riding. Rockstar also makes the clever choice to make reins “stretchy” so they move with the neck and simulate rider give and restraint, rather than having them just flop around at a static length. This makes reining feel a lot more dynamic and responsive, in my opinion.

Bareback vs. Saddle: To Rockstar's credit, riders' carriage when bareback is entirely different from the saddle carriage animations, and displays a lower center of gravity.

This note is a bummer, but it is, I feel, an important one to know. Arthur is WAY TOO BIG to ride a significant number of horses in the game. Horses are not bikes or cars. In real life, it's extremely important to consider a rider's weight and height and general carriage when matching them with a horse, especially for long-distance rides... and unfortunately, Arthur is prohibitively huge. If I saw a man Arthur's size astride that teeny little Morgan, boots tips damn near dragging, I'd give him a piece of my damn mind. That said, it's just a video game, so if you love that white Arabian or that sweet little Morgan, ride without shame; you are not hurting a pixel horse! But if you're into max realism or a horse an experienced rider like Arthur might conceivably choose for himself, go for something larger, leggier, and stronger. Though Rockstar fictionalized their breeds a little bit, I think one of their taller well-balanced styles like the Dutch warmblood, standardbred, Hungarian, Andalusian, or even one of those svelte Americanized Belgians suits Arthur much more comfortably. Online's Kladruber would also be an excellent choice for Arthur. (Ain't nobody saying SHIT to Arthur Morgan on a heavy breed like a Shire, though they aren't well suited for everyday long-distance all-terrain riding, and I feel sympathy pains about that leg spread just thinking about it. Speaking of...)

Real talk about Arthur's "swagger": Though I'm 100% sure it's a dominance thing for some crusty ol' cowboys, most equestrians don't saunter around Like That TM because they are listening to Rod Stewart croon If You Want My Body And You Think I'm Sexy at all times. That "swagger" is just... well... to be blunt, it's sort of what happens to your gait after you spend all day with your legs straddling a big animal moving on rough terrain. Hang out with some adults who have ridden horses daily since they were wee beans and they'll tell you allllll about what it can do to your posture. Contrary to cowboy jokes, it's not so much about being bowlegged (which is massively exaggerated as it pertains to horseback riding) as it is about lowering one's center of gravity to compensate for things like muscle strain, spinal compression, and lower back pain. Due to the high impact nature of riding, many career horsepeople develop chronic back problems and "swaggers," and for some it's eventually more comfortable to ride than to walk. Not saying you can't hc an Arthur who struts his stuff, of course! Just saying that, for those of you who might struggle to reconcile Arthur's blisteringly low self-esteem in his physical appearance with his "swagger," here's a horse world answer.

Knights Templar'ing it. This is another bummer for a ton of cute fanfic scenes, but riding two-to-a saddle is really not good for a horse. It's not just about raw weight, but about the distribution of that weight and where the pressure rests on a horse's back/organs. A bean like Little Jack sitting right in Arthur's lap isn't going to add too much stress to a horse big enough to carry a tanky dude like Arthur comfortably, but a whole second adult sitting behind a saddle is a very different story. Imagine the difference between carrying someone piggyback versus having someone stand on your spine! It's all about the position. Larger breeds can tolerate riding double for a while, but it should not be done for long distances, and it definitely should not be done if a rider expects to need heavy exertion from the horse. Adults riding double doesn't happen too often in RDR2 (usually just during an emergency), so this isn't a critique of Rockstar or Arthur; it's more so a helpful realism note for fanworks. An experienced horsegirl like Arthur is sure not to ride double casually. Pro-tip: If you want someone to teach your (non-bean-sized) OC how to ride a horse, consider having the teacher controlling the horse from the ground via a lead/lunge line while your OC sits in the saddle.

Oof, that smarts... When Arthur picks up hay bales with short sleeves on/bare hands, he makes a soundless "OOF OOOH EEEE OUCH" face. The first time I saw this, I absolutely lost it with glee. Anyone who has moved hay (or straw; they're different!) with bare arms knows how prickly and scratchy and itchy it is, and it's loving little touches like this that make RDR2's horses feel so darn real.

That's all I can think of for now! I hope this list was at least somewhat helpful, even if it's far from an all-encompassing resource on horsey stuff in RDR2. Happy riding, meatverse horsegirls & virtual horsegirls, and remember to always thank your horse :)

[coweyloaf]

So, the pull has ended and the fics you picked were:

✨Characters reaction to finding out your a toe walker

And

⭐Roller skating with characters modern AU

For anyone wanting another Rdr2 character just keep in mind Im only writing mxm so please suggest male characters :))

Edit: I accidentally put Kieran down twice, ignore that, I'll add up the percentage for him when it's over

[verdemoun]

things my "cishet" "neurotypical" 25 year old (has never played a video game in his life) humanities teacher friend has said during his rdr2 playthrough

(dutch going off at bill at the start of revenge is a dish best eaten) well that seemed uncalled for. dutch is. dutch is starting to lose it, huh

visibly upset over having to shoot up the mansion, esp the stained glass windows. loves the double barrel tho.

(dutch going off at bronte) yeah dutch has full lost it. oh! oh! gator! :D DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!

only comment during banking the american art: papa hosea noooooo!!

(the diagnosis) ah yes well he’s dead he’s got consumption

(arthur's walk) why is there a moose in saint denis.

"the hot air balloon! first invented in 1793" (demanded i fact check, he was correct)

oh it's like the wizard of oz! there's no place like blackwater, there's no place like blackwater, there's no place like blackwater.

despite having no reaction to the diagnosis, immediately had tears in his eyes screaming ARTURO NOOOOOO as the funny man died

"mrs adler has the sort of perky butchness i can see you being attracted to"

meeting algernon: don’t you dare fucking say that’s me

five seconds into the intro cut scene: oh no he’s me

micah being on scene for any amount of time: i am dryer than the sahara rn.

i asked him to clarify. he paused. proceeded to refer to which characters made his pussy wet/dry for the rest of the evening. has never made this joke before.

thought abigail was the rat during guarma until seeing dutch muttering chess moves to himself. had decided dutch is very much unhinged and no longer trusts anything dutch says.

no idea who the rat is. does believe there's a rat. thought it was john until i said 'no try again'

bought a theatre ticket and missed most of the show admiring the foyer and guessing what sort of marble it was meant to imitate.

failed to steal the black arabian from the couple in saint denis and sulked because the red arabian is his fav.

spent an hour customizing arthur's outfit. (arthur is hideous pls send help)

spent an additional 20 minutes deciding on a hair style and going through every moustache option only to settle on day 2 stubble.

"i like bill. he might be homophobic and racist and dumb but - i don't know i just think he's neat"

(excitedly) OH I FOUND THE KKK QUICK HOW TO I THROW TNT AGAIN!!

(attempting to dismount a horse) "e for eject"

(getting a low honor dream after killing every single npc in strawberry for funsies) oh no oh no i do not like that how do we fix that

annoyed he can't actually listen to pearson's navy stories

[focusontheheart]

Meet the Team Lead - Campbell

Brimming with enthusiasm to match the Captain of the Vanguard, it's @maybirdie, Lead for the Erend route! You can find her on Twitter @ereloymb and AO3 as maybirdie!

Hi everyone, I’m Campbell! I had been out of the fandom world for YEARS until April of 2022, when Horizon (and Ereloy) pulled me in hard. I discovered the games completely by accident when I borrowed my friend’s PS4 to help her break her RDR2 addiction. I was brand new to gaming and did not intend to get so sucked in, but this wonderful game and its incredible characters didn’t give me much of a choice! Since HFW came out, I have found the most delightful community of people, made some amazing friends, and been more inspired creatively than ever in my life—particularly when it comes to writing and virtual photography. I’m especially inspired by the wonderful and talented people in both the Two Minutes and Everybody Loves Aloy servers! The writing, art, discussions, and ideas that swirl around nonstop have kept me engaged and inspired to create far more than I would have otherwise! I’m so thrilled to be involved in this exciting project, collaborating with so many lovely folks has been massively inspiring and I can’t wait to see the finished product!

Q&A with Campbell below the cut!

What is a favorite piece of work you've done (completed/ working on/ in-concept)? 

This is such a tough choice but my most recent fic, Kindling, is currently nearest and dearest to my heart. It was super interesting to explore demi Aloy’s reaction to having romantic feelings for the first time, and even though the angst just about killed me, it made the happy ending even more fun to write.

What are some of your favorite tropes (to read/ write/ draw)? 

Hurt/comfort, Fluff, There Was Only One Bed, honestly anything that gives my blorbos an excuse to kiss

What is an unexpected thing or fun fact about you?

I’m generally pretty boring, but I DO own an incredibly orange spoiled loaf named Gus

What has been your favorite thing about working on this project so far?

It has been so lovely to make friends across ship lines and find common ground with so many wonderful people I might not have interacted with otherwise! It’s been an amazing demonstration of how healthy, positive, and inspiring fandom can be when we come together to lift each other up and put our energy into something constructive. There’s room for all headcanons and POVs in this community, and this project has truly proved that to me.

[slicedmayonnaise]

Okay, Slice n Dice, I'm gonna rant, enjoy :3 (good luck)

When I first started reading WTE I was in an, "I'm not too big a fan of modern aus" mindset, and decided not to read it when I first saw it (Ford's top ten biggest mistakes).

One day, I was sitting on the floor, my third cup of iced coffee in my hand and Markiplier's rdr2 playthrough on my laptop and I thought to myself, "I wonder what WTEs about.." So I went back to good ol' ao3 and took a deeper look, aka read the first few chapters, oh my god did I regret not reading it sooner. I have a hard time immersing myself in stories because I get distracted so easily, but I was so immersed in the entire thing, that I could finally see in my tiny brain what was happening and it made me love the story even more.

After WTE I read BAE....hhhh I loved BAE....I ACTUALLY CRIED AT POINTS IN THOSE STORIES </3

Anyway, after WTE I didn't stop thinking about it, kinda just stared at my wall for half an hour looking confused, ik I'm going to do that exact thing once Washed Up is done, and I ain't complaining.

It actually took me a bit to read Washed Up too, after WTE I needed a break because I couldn't find any stories that matched how good it was, and for some reason, I didn't look at Washed Up which was literally created by the same person </333333 (I'm a little dumb)

When I'm hyperfixated on smth I get hyperfixated on things in that smth (like Javier) and I got hyperfixated on WTE (but I didn't draw fanart, which disappoints me) so that's another reason I didn't read Washed Up right away, I actually read WTE twice.

So I FINALLY started Washed Up and yeah that was the best thing I've ever done. Actually, this story might be one of the best fics I've ever read, I just absolutely love the slow burn that wasn't too short to be like, "What just happened?" and wasn't too long to make me get bored of the story, but in every chapter, I might've asked, "are they gonna kiss?"...

And the characters, omg, I actually didn't expect Vincente to turn out how he did, I love this version of him. and Eddie.......hhhhhhh Eddie.......I love Eddie...AND FLACO, WHEN I WAS READING THE TAGS I GOT SO SURPRISED THAT BRO WAS IN IT THAT EVERY TIME A NEW CHARACTER WAS INTRODUCED (without knowing their name ofc) I WAS LIKE, "Flaco?"

My reaction to when he showed up was priceless.

Okay, this rant went really off track-

I love how you sort of mixed like rdr canon into the story, but with your own like twist, yk, which is pretty much what the whole story is but you get what I mean (I hope-)

And Javier..oh poor Javier, he really won't like water now, or boats...sigh poor Javier </3

THE GIRLS TOO, I AM SO GLAD THEY WERE SAVED!!!!

Okay, this is getting really long I don't want to overwhelm you.

But just know, I love your story so much, I wish I had given it a chance right away because now it is one of my favorite things ever, and I hope you will write more in the future, speaking of the future I'm so excited for that spinoff with Flaco and Eddie.....so excited...

But thank you, for opening my eyes to a surfing au that I never expected to like so much, it didn't make me want to start surfing but that's okay cause I'm afraid of oceans.

AND I SWEAR I WILL DRAW WASHED UP FANART, I NEED IT IN MY LIFE, I JUST NEED AN IDEA, AND THEN WE'RE LOCKED IN!!!!!!

Okay, this was so long, oopsies-

THANK YOU <33333333

I was literally smiling like an idiot the entire time reading this oh my god. My cheeks hurt from smiling. I may or may not have also cried a little. Thank you thank you so so much oh my god 😭😭😭 <3<3<3<3<3<3 like idek what to say

I'm so so glad you like my fics and the way I write and like just thank you so much for all the feedback like idk what to say just thank you so so much. You have just made my entire year if not my entire life <3<3<3<3<3<3 thank you thank you!!!

[themastermarkus]

More evidence that Micah cares about his horse.

[The video's not mine, but I reference it.]

I just completed a weird project where I made note of all of Micah's "incidental" lines (like those that play as reactions and responses rather than scripted conversations, which can be listened to via Rampage Trainer). I was going to do this with more characters, but I'm reevaluating that since a lot of characters have pretty generic reactions for most scenarios (Dutch is on the more interesting side, but I'm sorry to say that Charles is not...However, certain reactions, like shooting a bird, or a non-enemy ped, tend to be pretty unique and characteristic, so it might be worth noting those types) and just doing this ONE character took me literally hours.

Anyway, while I plan to share the document somehow (for what it's worth without having the sound of the line reads, which I knooooow are essential with Micah) and report some of the lines that I found the most interesting, I wanted to highlight something in particular because I can't get it off my mind: Micah's reaction towards the player shooting his horse.

We in the RDR2 fandom who don't immediately demonize Micah have already accepted that the oft-repeated rumour of "Micah abuses his horse" isn't true but I think there is evidence to argue that Micah might have the strongest relationship with his horse compared to the other NPC gang members (or at the very least is definitely in the top three).

Under the file name "player_shoots_horse" all NPCs have two lines, and while all characters have an upset "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!?" sort of line, the level of intensity and

Micah's lines are "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOIN'!?" and "BAYLOCK!" in probably the most terrified tone of voice he expresses in the entire game. The second line is especially interesting to me because I've checked this line from all of the characters you ride out with who have their own horse, and Micah is the ONLY character who refers to their horse in the first person or uses their name.

The next most emotional reactions are Bill, who sounds shocked and heartbroken when saying "You shot my horse!" and Charles who says "Why did you shoot my horse!?" with a quiet anger.

I could certainly be reading into it too much, but I thought it was really surprising. There are other times in the game that characters mention the names of their own horses,of course, but nobody else does in this instance. I'd also like to note that the list of lines that Rampage Trainer can play does not appear to be comprehensive, as Micah has OTHER reaction lines where he refers to Baylock which I have heard while playing: When you're carrying a hay bale in camp, he might say "Make sure Baylock gets some of that." and when Arthur's horse is in a great condition, he can say "That's looking almost as strong as Baylock now...almost."

SO YEAH, MICAH LIKES HIS HORSE. And he's always calling him "Baylock" instead of just "my horse"! You can say a lot of things about Micah, but saying "He abuses/doesn't care about his horse" is like saying "Micah doesn't care about his guns" in that we have no evidence for that claim, and indeed have evidence that contradicts it.

[wyllsravengard]

im going to be cringe and predict all of the rdr2 characters mbti before i get further in the game

arthur morgan - im almost completely positive that the internet is going to type him as an istp but absolutely Not. i actually dont care if it does say that's what he is either, he's very obviously an Fi user. isfp maybe but im leaning towards istj given his whole debacle about the change of the world. im sure a lot of people would make arguement about his helpfulness being Fe but arthurs internal monologue just does not fit that at all.

john marston - this one is weird. gut reaction is istp but a lot of infjs with a hardened personality get typed this way. on the other other hand - he fits a toxic Fi loop given his breaking off from the gang. im going to stick w istp for now though. it just feels right to me.

dutch - enfj lmaoo. his narcissism and general desire for aesthetics + being charismatic while being a total piece of shit. plus his general demeanor. you could tell me he's something else and i would not believe you. easiest enfj type ive ever seen. im sure people are going to label him as an entj based on the leadership role but hard disagree. and if he were an infj his personality would be a lot more annoying and a lot less charismatic.

charles smith - i actually have no idea on this one. i feel like im typing so many of these men with Fi but when you talk to them and their moral reasonings - they just read that way. charles feels very moralistic and he has a soft tendency. im going to w isfp because he's pretty physical adapted.

lenny summers - infp or enfp. he certainly doesn't seem extroverted but younger enfps can lean pretty shy. but his bookishness makes me think infp so that will be my verdict

javier - i know pepople are going to type him with Fi. but that level of aesthetics and the way he flirts... isfj. i also think his conflict towards dutch leans less on loyalty like an Fi user would have. he's also charismatic in a very Fe way. so im going to label him an isfj and go with that. i an see isfp but idk... isfj fits better

ill get the girls later but im going to say now abigail is an isfj and sadie is an estp (so is karen) and im very confident on those.

[sentine1ist]

Kinda scared to start rdr1 because I know how dirty Javier is done. It always made me feel iffy that John's initial reaction to finding Bill is to calmly coax/ bargain with him and yet he shows immediate hostility to Javier and threatens him with a gun. Not to mention his character just being a contradict of everything he stands for...

Icl I'm aware in many aspects rdr2 rectifies a lot of his character but man if it doesn't frustrate me

[softrozene]

Rdr2 Masterlist 2020-2021

As the title says, this is all my rdr2- One Shots, Scenarios, and Headcanons from these years when I wrote it under @/lovingoutlaws!

Headcanons/Scenarios usually have 2-3 characters in it while the Character list focuses on that character!

*If a work doesn’t specify a gender the reader is Gender Neutral/Non-Binary!

Started January 10, 2020

Ended January 6, 2021

ao3 backup link.

Headcanons:

Character Reactions to Dutch wanting a night with their girl: Arthur, John, Javier x Female Reader. They ain’t happy about Dutch having the audacity to ask to have a night with their woman.

Comforting Female Reader who has experienced an assault: Male!Various x Female Reader. Just hurt/comfort for some rdr2 men finding out reader experienced a past assault on her.

Doing the little romantic things for their s/o : Headcanons. Arthur, Charles, and John doing little romantic things for reader.

Being Romantic with Their S/O: Headcanons. Javier and Kieran being romantic with their partner, reader.

New Relationship with a Male S/O: Abigail Roberts/Marston and Sadie Adler headcanons in a relationship with a new partner.

Reader Getting into a Fight: Headcanons on how Arthur, Dutch, and John would react to Reader getting into a fight.

Reaction to Shy Adopted Girl: Headcanons on how Arthur, Dutch, and Hosea would react to adopting a shy girl into the gang and how their protectiveness is wholesome.

Short and Feisty Female S/O who Likes to Cuddle: Arthur, Charles, Javier, John, Sean x Female reader. Headcanons on how they react to this type of partner. Fluff.

Stargazing Headcanons: Arthur, Charles, Hosea x Reader. Just some fluffy stargazing headcanons.

Characters:

Abigail Roberts (Marston):

Deserve Better: Abigail x Female Reader. Reader confesses to Abigail after she asks for advice on what to do about John.

Arthur Morgan:

Arthur Turning into a Parent : Arthur x female reader (Father-daughter relationship) fluff headcanons and bonus scenario.

Arthur Comforts reader with past assault: Arthur x Male Reader scenario. Arthur gives some advice/words of comfort when Reader vents to him about a traumatizing experience.

Arthur with a Touch-Starved Reader: Arthur x Reader. Headcanons on how he notices reader is touch-starved and just pure fluff.

Father Headcanons: How Arthur would be with a son, pure fluffy and wholesome headcanons.

Just a Few Minutes: Arthur x Female Reader (Slight n s f w). Arthur is really riled up from seeing how pretty his woman is. He just wants a few minutes with her during a mission. F in chat for Molly’s shawl.

Charles Smith:

Getting Caught: Charles x Female Reader (n s f w). You and Charles get caught doing the do ; )

Hurt Little Bird: Charles x Female Reader. Charles is worried when his partner is taking a while from coming back to camp after a hunt. He goes to search for her and is relieved to find her.

Dutch:

Dutch with a Super Affectionate S/O: headcanons on how Dutch would act with a super affectionate partner both sfw and n s f w.

Dutch with a Younger S/O: headcanons on how Dutch would act with a younger female partner. Both sfw and n s f w

Javier Escuella:

Jealous Javier: Javier x Reader. How Javier reacts when he gets jealous in a n s f w way.

Spanish Flirtations: Javier x Male Reader. Male reader tries to flirt with Javier in his mother tongue only to fail a few pick-up lines. Javier finds it endearing.

John Marston:

Birthday Trip : John Marston x Female Reader. John takes reader on a ‘romantic’ trip for her birthday only for a bunch of accidents to happen along the way. But no worries, it was still a good trip.

John with a Pregnant S/O: John x Female Reader. Reader is worried about telling John about her pregnancy after she heard what happened to Abigail. Arthur reassures her when John finally comes back from a mission.

Josiah Trewlany:

Miss Me: Josiah x Reader. Josiah comes back beat and battered worrying poor reader who would really miss him if something were to happen to him. He is grateful since reader holds a special place in his heart.

Kieran Duffy:

Kieran Reacting to Panic Attacks: Kieran x Reader. How he will help reader during a panic attack.

Lenny Summers:

Fear: Lenny x Male Reader. Lenny wants to come out to the gang since he and (Name) are official, but reader has some fears to talk through.

Molly O’Shea:

Dutch Gets Bamboozled: Molly x Female Reader. Molly finally accepts the offer of the woman she has been seeing behind Dutch’s back. Dutch is livid.

Dutch Gets Bamboozled Part 2: Molly x Female Reader. Part 2 of the other one. Dutch finally gets to see how they are truly living after years have passed by and he is jealous.

Sean MacGuire:

Sean is Struggling: Sean x Female Reader. Ever since Sean has been tortured by the bounty hunters he has PTSD and has some problems with touch. Reader notices and wants to help him.

Sad Yee Haw Hours:

This is just an angst scenario starter event I did on the old tumblr, that I named Sad Yee-Haw Hours because (guess what) I was sad and wanted angst in my life lol. So literally all of these are just angst scenarios. Uh besides that I give warnings before each scenario.

“Everything is going to be okay”: Javier x Male Reader. Reader tells Javier that time heals all wounds :’)

“Please don’t leave me.”: Charles x Reader. Charles is begging reader not to leave them.

“Stop pushing everyone away.” Arthur x Reader x John. Reader is breaking these cowboys’ hearts.

“Just Go.” Josiah Trelawny x Female Reader. Reader finds out Josiah’s secret that he never wanted her to find out.

“Who is it going to be?” Molly x Female Reader. Reader finally asks Molly who she truly wants to be with. Her or Dutch? Reader gets the answer she expected but it still hurts.

“You Can’t Play the Victim Here.” - Arthur Morgan x Female Reader. Reader wants to leave the gang with Arthur and Arthur is confused to why until she reveals something.

“I Thought You Were Dead.” - Charles Smith x Female Reader. Charles finally finds Reader after searching for her (and losing himself) for so long. He wishes he can turn back time.

“Please Look at Me.” Charles Smith x Reader. Reader royally messed up by hurting this man.

“Everything is Going to be Okay.” Arthur Morgan x Male Reader. Very angsty, in which reader stays with Arthur during his last moments.

“You Remind me of Someone.” Sean Macguire x Female Reader. Sean is a complete jerk in this as he messes with Reader’s feelings.

“This Will Never Work.” Andrew Milton x Male Reader. Andrew and Reader have one last meeting before things go terrible for Reader.

[vitos-pink-shirt]

If you could cross over the Mafia series with any other franchise, what would it/they be?

Oooh this is an awesome ask!

My gut reaction was to cross it with Red Dead Redemption II (it’s one of my favorite games and I love cowboys lol). I think seeing the guys as old-time outlaws would be interesting, not to mention I think Arthur would really relate to Tommy (doing everything to protect your family) and Vito (feeling propelled by outward forces, but ultimately doomed) and I’d love to see Salieri or Falcone get in a fist fight with Dutch. I also would love to see Lincoln be this legendary gunslinger, who is known to never lose a gunfight/duel even if he gets hit.

For the second game I think I’d really lean towards red dead redemption 2, I just really like the idea of all of the rival gangs interacting, but also the chance for Vito to get to know Arthur would be really cool for me. I think Arthur, Charles, Hosea, and Lenny could show Vito that being a man is more than just violence, and Arthur specifically could teach him that every man isn’t doomed to be his father. Joe and Henry would be really cool to see as cowboys, I personally think Henry would be afraid of every horse but his own lol. I also think that it’d be cool to apply the idea of moral vs immoral to Vito as he seems to specifically struggle with morals when it comes to drugs, and the dock workers, but I think it’d be cool for him to be high or low honor like Arthur can, but then also let Vito realize that low honor is worse than his own father. I just think the setting and characters or rdr2 would compliment Vito, specifically, in an interesting way.

However, I think the first and third game wouldn’t be as complimented by red dead. I think maybe for the first game, some type of movie like Goodfellas or possibly another gangster movie, where we get to see the characters in the extreme highs and the extreme lows. I think it’d be interesting to see how Tommy deals with the extreme violence and cruelty that is depicted in some of those movies as we already see that he doesn’t have the same indifference as Sam and Paulie when it came to hunting down the guys catcalling Sarah. I also think it’d be interesting to see how far Tommy’s loyalties can be pushed, he robs a bank with Paulie, but had Paulie done something like kill a made man over a personal insult (like Tommy in goodfellas does) how would he respond? I would be interested to see how Jimmy in Goodfellas would get along with specifically Sam. My mind immediately lumped Henry (GF) with Tommy (M1), Tommy (GF) with Paulie (M1), and Jimmy (GF) with Sam (M1) but I think the differences in that last pair would be interesting. Maybe another piece of media that would add a little more variety than just another mafia story would be like the movie Lawless, where instead of being big city gangsters, they’d be back hills moonshiners and Tommy of course would be the driver. Or maybe Tommy is just a driver and that’s how he meets Sam and Paulie, during a run.

For the third game I’m not really sure, I definitely think that keeping the time frame in the 60’s-70’s would be ideal, as the setting of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement is such a powerful part of M3’s setting, but I think I would be interested to maybe see a crossover with some media where Lincoln isn’t morally discouraged from getting his revenge with religion, maybe something where he gets a team. Not that Lincoln needs a team, but he’s such a charismatic person and he’s really kind and sweet when it comes to his friends. So maybe something where the viewer would get to explore his life before the war, before getting hell bent on revenge, and just see a goofier more domestic side of Lincoln, without losing the badass side. I almost want to throw the Witcher series out there, because I like the idea of Lincoln and John traveling like Geralt and Jaskier lol. Lincoln being a Witcher or monster hunter without the Witcher trials is honestly a really cool thought to me.

[brujahinaskirt]

30 kcd2 trailer reveal little things / reactions:

Loving the increased Istvan / Henry parallelism

Loving the return of the red PTSD nightmares and so pleased WH isn't watering the game down, keeping up the trauma narrative realism, etc. I expected no less but still delighted by it. I love games that allow characters (esp male characters) to feel things, genuinely, and writing that treats the emotional invitation of its own storytelling with respect.

Good lord, the symbolism returns--as it must in a proper medieval game--but I shan't look too deep yet.

SKALITZ FLASHBACKS. HENRY'S PARENTS' WEDDING PREQUEL CONTENT? W H A T. I never thought we would get to go back; I am so thrilled to learn more about that time. I would have gladly gobbled up a Martin prequel. TELL ME HER FUCKING NAME, WARHORSE, YOU BASTARDS.

where is radzig

Mystery possible new love interest option? Or did Lady Stephanie visit the face sculptor?

And Theresa... where?

Mother of god, the forests and animals look incredible. I'm going insane. Let me pet things please.

How many times can Hans eat royal shit and live in one livestream? Let's find out. One, two, three...

The crime and punishment mechanics are definitely more complex at a glance. This is a good thing but I wonder how much was cutscene flavor and how much will really have an affect on the gameplay/reputation/etc.

I'm extremely afraid for Hans's survival. Not because of his constant trailer beefing (and he really took every opportunity to wipe out) but because of that shot with him doing the big dramatic eagle wing spread on horseback. You can't just do that and not expect to be punished by the narrative, bro.

MUTT IS BACK MUTT IS BACK MUTT IS BACK

is that pebbles? MUTT IS BACK please be pebbles

Henry's new hair is awful and I will be changing it two seconds in.

In general, Henry looks way more mature/stressed. Hard to say if there was a timeskip and Henry is now actually more mature or if the increased graphics allow him to look more like his voice actor, who is older than Henry. Either way I will be content. Will not catch me changing my son's precious face!!!

CROSSBOWS, HAND CANNONS

Istvan is pure fire, holy shit, cannot wait for this performance. Erik looks like a soggy newspaper. What happened king?

radzig? hello? anyone hear from this guy? typical for him to ghost

FIVE HOURS OF CUTSCENES???? YOU KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. IT IS ME. I LOVE TO WATCH THINGS

Theresa's gonna be in it though, right? They wouldn't do us like that right?

Really excited to see them taking a page from RDR2 and incorporating a temperament-based reply system for non-dialogue initiating NPCs. I really look forward to all the added sandbox immersion enhancements from the first game, and I hope women are incorporated in a broader work spectrum for better historical accuracy.

WAS THAT GODWIN?

Is Hans going to teach Henry how to swim for real, as in a gameplay-altering swim mechanic, or is the topless on the riverbank scene just throwing a meaty bone to the hansry shippers (i am gnawing, i am growling when you try to take it away before i choke myself with it)

I love hearing devs and actors talk intelligently about the writing and character development arcs. Obviously they thought about it deeply in KCD1, but it's nice to see devs of an "action" game treating its narrative seriously, as artwork. Regardless of how the fandom idiots interact with it.

Hans singing a facetious little ballad for Henry (presuming it makes it into the game and isn't just trailer fodder) regenerated my cells. He DID promise in KCD1 (if you lose the tourney after agreeing to be his champion) that one day people would sing ballads in Henry's honor. Probably he did not intend for them to include the word "fuck" at the time.

This is going to be the grown up bromance we deserved in kcd1. Honestly it's so validating to see the second game recentering on that relationship and deliberately using it as the primary storytelling vehicle. KCD1 was pretty imbalanced in favor of Hans content, but it would have been better served by the game storyline fully leaning into the importance of that relationship, rather than trying to juggle it as a side-arc with several other arcs (and thereby creating an imbalance). KCD2 looks like it's built around the backbone of Henry and Hans's friendship and how it has profoundly changed them both/propelled their arcs in somewhat different directions.

On that point, Henry seems to have completely adopted Rattay colors now, but it's possible that's due to him operating as Hans's page (squire?) where we left them in KCD1. WHERE IS RADZIG

Calling Henry an orphan is a LITTLE generous given he was a whole ass adult man when his parents were killed, don't you think.

Calling Henry a lover is VERY VERY GENEROUS

I'm hyped.

[devilscreekballad]

Out of the examples you mentioned, I feel that, while well meaning, the RDR2 references shouldn't/doesnt need to be included? Maybe one character can have a reaction (especially if already written) but honestly I feel it shouldn't be if it's hindering your motivation or pace. The horse differences are nice too but don't need to be included as well (though I feel less opposed to gutting their descriptions than the references)

Thing is it's not hindering my motivation as such.

It's a weird up and down, like cleaning the kitchen or something. It's obnoxious, but damn does it feel good when it's done.

[suntomemp3]

There's a lot of characters deaths I get upset about but brasidas may upset me the most. Like it even tops Arthur Morgan's death in rdr2 somehow. Which I didn't think was possible until brasidas got a fucking spear stuck up his head and it sent me into a depressive episode

Live reaction of me fall 2022 watching brasidas die for the first time

[coweyloaf]

What should my first Rdr2 fic be?

I love like a lot of ideas, some being modern and specific stuff and others just me wanting to insert my silly autistic experiences.

Idk, may procrastinate this, cause I want to get into writing but I'm also lazy and don't know where to start