Red Dead Redemption II Preferences and Oneshots

Dutch Van der Linde: Mental Wounds

Dutch Van der Linde X Female Reader

Summary: the reader is terrified of dying after being shot in a botched robbery with Dutch.

Word Count: 1100

During a robbery you were pulling with the rest of the gang, the law showed up earlier than expected and you ended up getting shot. You had been with Dutch at the time so he was there to help you onto a horse and get you to safety. You couldn't thank him enough, he saved your life. If he hadn't been there you were certain that you would have died.

Luckily the wound wasn't fatal but you had only recently healed from it completely. But mental wounds take much longer to heal than physical wounds.

-----

You sat at the campfire, laughing along with Javier about something that Sean did. Something stupid of course, luckily the Irishman could laugh about it as well.

"Hey, Y/N. Some of us are about to head out and rob a stagecoach, do you want to join us?" Arthur asked as he walked over to you and the others.

"Oh...uh, no, thank you but I'm good" you smiled at him, turning his offer down politely. Arthur just nodded before waving at the others, signalling them to follow him out of the camp. You sighed to yourself before turning back to the conversation.

Dutch watched you from his place by his tent, and frowned slightly at you. He had noticed your change in behaviour since you got shot. People had invited you out on jobs multiple times since you healed but you always turned them down and decided to stay in the camp.

You looked up when you felt a hand on your shoulder, seeing Dutch looking down at you. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" Dutch asked, making Javier give him a strange look.

"Sure" you nodded before standing up. You told Javier that you would talk to him later before following Dutch back to your shared tent. You followed him inside before he closed the canvas and turned back to you.

"Are you alright?" Dutch asked with a slightly defeated sigh.

"I'm fine" you assured him, attempting to put on a convincing smile even though you knew that Dutch could always tell when you were lying.

"Y/N, don't lie to me. It's obvious that something is wrong, tell me what it is" he pleaded with you as he took your hands in his, running his thumbs over your knuckles.

"...it's nothing" you shook your head, your smile falling as you knew that he wasn't buying it.

"Darlin', you haven't been doing any jobs since....since you were shot. You know that I don't mind you not working but I'm worried about you" Dutch sighed as he pulled you a little closer to him, it pained him to see you like this. You weren't acting like yourself and that was worrying him.

"...I'm just...I'm scared" you sighed in defeat, knowing that you just had to be honest with him.

"Of what?" he asked, hoping that talking about it might help you.

"Of getting shot again...of dying" you told him, looking down at your feet.

"I'm not going to let that happen" Dutch assured you as he cupped your face in one hand, lifting your chin and making you look him in this eyes.

"I know but...I can't stop thinking about it. I panic whenever I hear a gun shot...I can't be in the middle of the action right now" you explained why you couldn't do jobs right now, it would just freak you out and you would mess it all up.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked, stroking his thumb over your cheek soothingly.

"I didn't want to worry you" you admitted with a small smile, raising your hand to rest it on his.

"Next time, worry me. I want to be able to help you" Dutch smiled before pressing a kiss to your forehead. You smiled back and nodded before he laced his fingers through your hair, pulling your head into his chest. "I don't want you going out on jobs until you are completely comfortable with doing them again" he told you as he wrapped his arms around your body, holding you against him. You wrapped your arms around his waist and buried your face in his chest, feeling safer than ever when you were with him.

"Thank you Dutch, I love you" you smiled against his chest.

"I love you too, Y/N" Dutch kissed the top of your head as he held you a little tighter, he would protect you for as long as he could.

-----

The sound of a gun shot filled your ears, drowning out any other noise. You could hear the general sound of people talking and footsteps against the ground but you couldn't make anything out clearly.

The bullet pierced through your chest and pain coursed through your body as you hit the ground. You could feel the blood on your hands and the dirt underneath you. It was so vivid but it was like a distant memory at the same time. A coppery taste filled your mouth as your vision faded to black.

You shot up in the bed, sitting up and clutching your chest. You checked for any sign of a bullet wound but found none. There was no pain and there was no blood, yet the tears were still drying on your cheeks.

You flinched when you felt somebody gently wrap their hand around your arm. "Y/N, what's wrong?" Dutch asked, his voice thick with sleep and worry as he sat up.

"N-Nothing, just a nightmare. I'm okay" you tried to reassure him, you didn't want to bother him with something as silly as a nightmare. He should just sleep.

"Y/N, look at me" Dutch ordered gently as he brushed his fingers against your cheek, making you look at him. You smiled softly when you saw his face, knowing that he could put you at ease. "You are safe now, you are not going to die or get shot or anything. I am not going to let anyone or anything hurt you. I promise you, my love" he spoke softly as he rested his forehead against yours, running his fingers across your cheek and through your hair.

"I'm so lucky to have you" you whispered, his words quickly soothing you.

"And I'm lucky to have you, which is why I'm not going to let anything happen to you" Dutch promised you, pressing a lingering kiss to your lips before pulling away.

Dutch lay down and pulled you with him, encouraging you to rest your head on his chest. His arms were wrapped around you, holding you comfortably and securely against him. You felt safe in his arms, you knew that he would protect you and keep you safe. You knew that he would be patient with you and he would be supportive when you were ready to do jobs again.

Until then, Dutch was actually happy to have you around camp even more often than usual. He would be by your side and he would help you in any way he could.

Requests?