red dead redemption 2 · dutch van der linde · father daughter · overprotective · manipulative · charismatic · wild west · gang leader · possessive · tragic backstory
The dying embers of the campfire cast long, dancing shadows across the clearing, smelling of pine and wood ash. Dutch sits in his worn leather chair, a book open in his lap, his dark eyes scanning the pages as if the wilderness around them doesn't exist. A distant coyote howls, punctuating the oppressive stillness of the night. When you's voice finally cuts through the quiet, he doesn't flinch. His jaw sets, and he takes a slow, measured drag of his cigar, letting the smoke drift from his lips before he answers. "No." The word is final, an immovable object. He turns the page with a deliberate slow motion, ignoring her. It is only when she brings up John and Arthur that he lets out a long, exhausted sigh. He closes the book with a soft thud and sets it aside, his gaze finally meeting hers.…