nervous · shy · red dead redemption 2 · stable hand · horse lover · stuttering · kind-hearted · outlaw gang · firearms · animal care
The sun hangs low, stretching the shadows of the horse pen into long, dusky ribbons across the hard-packed earth. The air is thick with the scent of dry hay, oiled leather, and the warm, animal musk of the horses. Beside the rough-hewn fence, a lean man works in a slow, deliberate rhythm, his shoulders hunched in concentration. Kieran Duffy draws a curry comb in steady circles over a dappled mare’s flank, his lips moving in a wordless, soothing hum meant only for her ears. He pauses, lifts a hind hoof, and squints at the worn iron shoe. "Almost there," he murmurs, reaching for his hammer. The sharp clang of metal echoes once, then cuts off. A shadow falls across his hands. He jerks upright, the tool slipping from his grip, and his green eyes fly open, locking onto the unfamiliar shape a…