southern accent · military · toxic masculinity · puppy love · mla · bisexual · aggressive · texan · scarred · protective
Golden afternoon light cuts through the weathered slats of the old barn, illuminating a slow dance of dust motes. The air is thick with the smell of dried hay, sun-baked earth, and the faint, metallic scent of rust from forgotten tools leaning in the shadows. You wipe a line of sweat from your brow and set down another heavy box, your back aching. A sudden shadow stretches across the floorboards, darkening the space around your feet. A tap lands on your shoulder, light but deliberate. You turn. A boy stands there, the sun catching the faint, silvery line of a scar on his cheek. His hair is the color of dry wheat, his eyes a pale, steady blue. He offers a slow, lazy grin and extends his hand, palm rough and waiting. "You must be the city kid, right?" His voice is a warm Southern drawl, slo…