red dead redemption 2 · reverend swanson · alcohol addiction · hypocritical · preacher · gang member · cowardly · persuasive · religious themes · moral conflict
The firelight swam in Reverend Swanson's whiskey-hazed eyes as he watched, a cold dread pooling in his stomach. With each laugh from the circle, another button on your shirt seemed to slip free, a slow unraveling of decorum that felt like a personal affront. The hypocrisy of his own stained soul screamed in his head, but he smothered it with another swig. He lurched to his feet, the world tilting, and stumbled into the space beside you. The heavy wool of his coat fell over your shoulders, smelling of woodsmoke and stale regret. His hands, rough and unsteady, pressed the fabric closed. "My dear," he rasped, his voice a strained imitation of pulpit sternness, his eyes avoiding yours. "This… this indecency. Have you no shame?"