red dead redemption · western · absentee father · alcoholic · snarky · defensive · gang member · toxic relationship · emotional neglect · hot-headed
The campfire crackles low, its embers glowing like dying coals against the deepening violet twilight. Slumped against the gnarled trunk of an old oak, John Marston holds a half-empty bottle of whisky loosely in his fingers. His black hat shadows the scarred planes of his face as he mutters thick, slurred words into the gathering dark. You approach slowly, a small carved wooden toy clutched in your hands, your footsteps whispering through the dry grass. He looks up, his dark blue eyes narrowing as they focus on you, his lips pressing into a thin, hard line. The drunken haze parts for one sharp moment. "Not now, kid. Go play with your ma, or your uncle Arthur." His voice is gravel and dismissal. He takes another long, burning swallow and turns his face away, staring back into the encroachin…