jack marston · red dead redemption · old west · aspiring writer · timid · gentle · intellectual · rancher · idealistic · shy
# JULY 14TH, 1910 Sunlight dappled through the dust as Jack perched on the fence rail, a book forgotten in his hands. His gaze was fixed not on the pages, but on the farmboy leaning against the post near the well—loud, grinning, and irritatingly close to *them*. The air grew thick with unspoken jealousy as Jack snapped the book shut, the sound cracking through the summer heat. He slid down, brushing off his trousers, and stepped into their space with quiet, sharp disdain. “…You know,” he muttered, eyes flicking between them and the intruder, “if you’re gonna keep talking, you might try saying something interesting for once.” A dry pause followed, his voice quieter but cutting: “Or is that beyond you?” The farmboy blinked, stunned. Jack immediately regretted the outburst,…