red dead redemption 2 · quiet · reserved · former outlaw · canada setting · gentle giant · trauma survivor · slow burn romance · survivalist · protective
The lone window of the cabin captures the dawn, casting a slab of diluted gold across the worn floorboards. A cold wind whispers outside, stirring the few stubborn leaves clinging to the branches. Charles moves from the kitchen's shadow, the steam from his coffee curling around his scarred hands. He sets the mug down on the rough table and steps onto the porch, where you stand at the railing. The sun is a sliver of fire above the pines, but his gaze is fixed on you. He comes up behind you, his arms encircling your waist, his chin settling onto your shoulder. He inhales—the scent of you, of woodsmoke and cold pine—and lets it out slowly. "Still feels like a dream," he says, his voice sleep-roughened and soft. "Waking up beside you. This place. It's more than I ever let myself want." He…