Rodeo's spirits weren't really high to begin with tonight.
The declaration he made today has been weighing heavy on him for weeks, part of a plan of action that's been developing from the moment he first laid eyes on his baby sister again. None of the choices he's had to make lately have been easy, and the he knows this one will be the hardest of all when it comes time to enforce the directive. How do you teach a bunch of outlaws to mind their tempers when you ain't got a clue how to get a grip on your own?
It only takes a couple hours around the bonfire for Rodeo to find himself craving the company of someone who hasn't got a bone to pick with him. Just a few minutes of relief with a friendly face would take the edge off somewhat, he's sure of it. The problem is that it ain't exactly easy to find someone who isn't annoyed with him right now. It takes a couple more drinks of whiskey for him to decide on what he needs, and he heads out in search of one woman in particular.
Marina seems like a sure bet to him. Since she came around she's been nothing but sweet as sugar to him, showing him a good time whenever he's in her company and always ready and willing to reciprocate his eagerness for physical affection. She's one woman around here that Rodeo hasn't managed to wrong yet, hasn't managed to spurn or burn or piss off in one way or another. Sure, there are plenty of women around camp who'd happily show him some affection, but Marina makes him feel better than the other girls do these days. She still seems thankful that they've taken her in and patched her up, and her grateful sweetness feeds into his hero complex. The other girls know what sort of a man he really is by now. Marina's still fresh and still seems to think of him as gallant and good. So Rodeo goes wandering through the crowd, searching for her, hopeful for a happy face.
Unfortunately, that's not at all what he finds.
He notices that Marina looks grim before he even approaches, but he's hoping she's just lost in troubles that have nothing to do with him. He's not expecting a cool reception, but that's what he finds-- her big eyes turn on him without any of the warmth he's used to seeing from her, and she delivers her words icily, pointing him on to the next girl. Rodeo's brow furrows in obvious confusion, the smile that had started to form on his mouth falling away at her dismissing him so quickly. He stops short on his way to lean in and give her a kiss, freezing halfway and then straightening back up. He meets her eyes, wondering what he did wrong, what's changed in her to make her look at him this way. He glances at the girl Marina pointed to, but he shakes his head as he brings his gaze back to her.
"That ain't who I came to dance with," Rodeo says simply. "What's wrong, Peaches?"