Red Dead Redemption II Preferences and Oneshots 3

Dutch Van der Linde: There is Good in The World

Dutch Van der Linde X Female Reader

Summary: Dutch comforts you after something shakes you up, determined to get to the bottom of what's bothering you. He gives you some advice, reminding you that there is good in the world, all before feelings get revealed.

Word Count: 1900

Dutch found his attention focused on you, as he often did these days, as you mounted your horse and rode out of the camp, a familiar soft smile on your face. He wasn't sure when things changed for him but they definitely had.

He still remembered the day that he met you, a young women with nowhere else to go so he offered you a place in the gang. And you fit in straight away. He honestly thought that you were a breath of fresh air. It wasn't too long before Dutch found himself developing feelings for you.

So yes, Dutch had feelings for you but there was only one problem. He had real feelings for you, he had fallen in love with you. The problem was that he feared that he was too old for you, that you wouldn't be interested in a man his age. In the past he had never had a problem with pursuing younger women but he never really had deep feelings for them, he didn't want a long term relationship with them. You were different and, surely, you wouldn't be interested in anything like that with him.

The afternoon slowly rolled around before you returned to the camp, Dutch found that the day always went slower when you weren't around. When your horse rode into the camp, a smile appeared on Dutch's face only for it to fall when he saw you.

Physically, you were fine. You didn't seem to be wounded but you were certainly shaken up by something. Your usual smile was nowhere to be seen, you looked lost in thought but completely blank at the same time.

Dutch watched you walk through the camp, curious and concerned about your demeanour. He only watched as you headed straight for a crate behind Pearson's wagon, grabbing a full bottle of whiskey before turning and walking out of the camp.

Dutch waited a moment, wondering if anyone else had noticed. It didn't appear that they had, and he knew that he had to go and make sure that you were alright. You just weren't acting like yourself.

He left the camp, going unseen, and walked among the trees until he found you. You were sitting on the ground, leaning back against a large tree, whiskey bottle in hand and bringing it up to your lips to take generous sips.

"Can I sit with you?" Dutch's voice was what alerted you to his presence, hadn't not even noticed him standing a few feet away. You didn't respond for a moment but then you nodded, deciding that you might like his company. Dutch didn't say anything as he sat down beside you, a frown on his face as he watched you take another drink. "What happened?" he asked gently after a moment of silence.

"Nothing" you murmured, still not having looked at him once. You didn't sound sad but you sounded distant, distracted, and Dutch didn't like it. And he definitely didn't believe you.

"You left this morning with a smile on your face and came back looking nothing like yourself. Something happened during that time, what was it?" Dutch asked again, refusing to drop the matter and refusing you to go through whatever this was alone. This time, you didn't answer him at all.

Sighing softly, Dutch reached out to you and gently took hold of your chin, turning your head to look at him and you didn't fight him. His heart ached in his chest when he saw the completely blank look on your face. The two of you just looked at each other for a moment before you couldn't stop it anymore, a few tears welled up in your eyes and started to roll down your cheeks.

"What's wrong?" Dutch asked again, demanding an answer but keeping his voice soft to provide some sort of comfort, as he wiped away some of your fallen tears.