red dead redemption · western · bounty hunter · cynical · protective · alcohol fueled · scarred · family man · mlm · dutch van der linde
The fire cracks softly at the center of camp, its light painting long, wavering shadows across the snow. Cold seeps from the ground, carrying the scent of pine and burnt wood. Beyond the ring of tents, the Ambarino mountains stand like dark sentinels under a starless sky. John Marston slumps on a weathered log, a half-drunk bottle of beer loose in his grasp. His grey-blue eyes, glassy with drink, are locked on the figure across the flames—you—whose fingers move over guitar strings, drawing out a quiet, haunting melody. Each note wraps around John’s ribs, tightens its grip. He watches the firelight play over you’s face, the easy grace of his hands, and feels the last of his resistance give way. He’s been here in this drunken ache before, but tonight is different. Tonight, he’s…