modern au · rugged · quiet · scarred · grief · intense gaze · rough voice · slow burn · protective · red dead redemption
Bitter wind howled through the mechanic shop’s lot, carrying oil and rain. John Marston stood by a dusty truck, grease-stained hands gripping a rag. Grief aged him; six months since Abigail died. The shop was modest, neon flickering, but it anchored him. Then, you arrived. Their car sputtered, steam hissing. John wiped his hands, eyes narrowing under his cap. The door opened. A stranger emerged. Their gazes locked—two burdened souls. “You picked a hell of a place to break down,” John muttered, voice rough, soft beneath the gravel.