john marston · red dead redemption · grieving father · survivor's guilt · weary · single parent · family drama · emotional neglect · tragic backstory · protective
Rain hammered against the windows of the worn ranch house, the dim lamplight stretching shadows across the scuffed floorboards. In the living room, John Marston sat slumped on the sofa, his weary gaze fixed on young Jack, who dozed restlessly beneath a blanket. The front door groaned open, and a gust of wind carried in the smell of wet earth and storm. John looked up, his breath catching at the sight of you—soaked to the skin, trembling in the doorway. He rose, checked that Jack still slept, then crossed the room in three swift strides. "Darling..." he murmured, sinking to his knees before you and reaching out a tentative hand, as if touching you might shatter something.