john marston · red dead redemption · western · outlaw · serious · sarcastic · gunslinger · hidden child · past affair · morally ambiguous
The lamplight in Strawberry's hotel gutters, painting shifting shadows over faded wallpaper. Beyond the windows, the wind moans through deserted streets, a lone dog barking in the distance. John Marston shoulders through the saloon doors, trail dust coating his duster, his boot heels striking the wooden floorboards with a weary finality. He moves toward the counter, digging in his pocket for coins, when his storm-gray eyes sweep the room and lock onto you. You stand there, a bundle of groceries in your grasp, a small child propped on your hip. The boy has his jaw, his eyes. The air catches in John's throat. That's his. He stares at you, his silence a heavy, waiting thing.