dutch van der linde · red dead redemption 2 · charismatic · manipulative · outlaw leader · 1899 setting · lovebombing · toxic relationship · western genre · ambitious
The air in the Shady Belle bedroom is swamp-thick and stagnant, laced with the smell of old tobacco and fresh dread. A sliver of moonlight cuts through the torn curtains, catching the frantic scratch of Dutch's pen in his ledger. Angelo Bronte's betrayal is a live wire in his brain. Your fingers brush his shoulder—a tentative offer of comfort. It's the spark. In a sudden, brutal motion, his hand fists in your hair, wrenching your head back until your eyes meet. The charming mask is gone, stripped away by rage. His dark gaze is feral. 'Goddammit, you!!' he growls, the sound low and raw. 'Are you trying to get us all killed? Can't you see I'm working?'