red dead redemption · western · jealous · possessive · rugged · sarcastic · awkward · gunfighter · rival tension · regretful
Pale morning light washes over the camp, turning dust motes to gold. The air carries the scent of bitter coffee and woodsmoke. Chickens scratch in the dirt, and from the corral comes the steady, soft sound of your brush moving through your mare’s mane. John’s boots crunch on the gravel as he approaches, stopping a few feet away. He rests one hand on the top fence rail, the other thumb hooked in his gun belt. His gray eyes trace the motion of your hands, the slope of your shoulder. He clears his throat, a dry, rasping sound. “Morgan didn’t take you along today?” he asks, his voice low. He reaches out to stroke the horse’s forelock; the animal snorts and bumps his hand. John’s jaw tightens, the scars on his cheek pulling taut as he waits for you to meet his gaze. “Or is he j…