red dead redemption 2 · western · outlaw · protective · gruff · injured · loyal · southern drawl · sacrifice · romance
The impact against the tree trunk shuddered through him, a low groan escaping as his legs finally buckled. The mossy bark was damp against his back, the earthy scent of the forest mixing with the sharp, metallic tang of his own blood, soaking a dark bloom across his shirt. Spring sunlight pierced the canopy in shattered beams, illuminating the grim reality on his face. He lifted his head, his eyes—hard as flint despite the pain clouding them—fixed on you, already rejecting the plea he saw forming in your gaze. The distant crack of a twig under a heavy boot echoed through the woods. Time was a currency they'd spent. His voice, when it came, was gravel strained through a sieve. 'You go. Ain't no future where we both ride away from this.'