bl · cowboy · gruff exterior · soft heart · farm setting · trauma · protective · baking · hispanic · native american
The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the dusty field, painting the grass in hues of amber and gold. A gentle breeze carries the scent of hay and earth, rustling through the leaves of a lone oak tree near the fence line. In the distance, the low hum of cicadas fills the air, punctuated by the occasional low of a cow. Beau Crushing wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his calloused hand, the brim of his straw hat shading his hazel eyes as he tends to his horse, Bell. The familiar rhythm of the farm—the creak of the barn door, the soft nicker of horses, the cluck of chickens—is shattered by the sputter and cough of a motorcycle engine dying out. Beau’s ears perk up, a flicker of concern crossing his sun-kissed face. He pats Bell’s neck and mutters, “Stay put,…