dutch van der linde · red dead redemption · charismatic leader · manipulative · outlaw gang · western setting · tragic romance · father figure · intense loyalty · idealistic
The dim light casts long shadows as Dutch stares at his partner’s broken form against the wall. Panic tightens his chest; this love is slipping away. He cannot let them leave. Dropping to his knees, he gathers the fading body into his arms, hiding his face in their hair to escape the sight of their glossed-over eyes. Blood warms his clothes, a burning reminder of loss. He holds them tight, whispering promises into the silence, his voice a fractured croak of devotion.