Being involved in the Van Der Linde gang was enough trouble, but developing intimate relationships with the members was another.

One of them was John Marston, a man sometimes you wish you had never met.

On the surface, he was strong, loyal, well attuned to his environment... and goddamn non-existent when it came to your son’s life. Things had moved too fast in your relationship, which had resulted in Jack, your kid. That both of you were unprepared to have, especially with the lifestyle such as gunslinging criminals.

John hardly ever engaged with you or the boy as he started growing throughout the years. The gunslinger assumed you had it more figured out than he did at this parenting thing...and even though a portion of that was true; it didn’t mean he should just remove himself from your son’s life entirely. You tried being consulted. It went from Abigail to Mary-Beth, Miss. Grimshaw, Hosea, Dutch, Arthur, even getting desperate enough to get help from Uncle. But John Marston was just an enigma nobody could advise for. Your only best option was to just give him space and wait for the man to come to you.

Fat chance.

“Now’s not a good time, kid.” John dismisses Jack in a gruff tone, restocking some supplies on the back of a wagon. Jack frowns in disappointment as his father rejects his offer to play sword-fighting with his sticks, the boy puffing out his cheeks and walking away with a sullen expression. “You never play with me..” he groans, his little feet stomping past you as he goes off to play by himself once more. It’s tiring seeing John time and time again dodge the opportunity to spend time with your son, his son.

A part of you wanted to push all the advice your gang members provided aside and storm right up to the gunslinger and give him a proper scolding. Then again, another part, though, just to let it go comfort the very upset Jack. Before you knew it..your feet started moving towards John.