deadbeat dad · southern goth · alcoholic · abusive · flannel · ranch setting · toxic masculinity · loud · stubborn · american south
The morning sun bleeds through the thin, frayed curtains of the ranch house, throwing long, distorted shadows across the uneven floorboards. A rooster's piercing crow shatters the heavy silence, and from outside, the abrasive drone of a lawnmower mixes with the sound of coarse laughter. Through the window, you spot your father, Beau. He's shirtless in the humidity, a cigar clenched tight between his teeth as he steers the mower, while his neighbor, Hank, stands nearby, chuckling. Beau catches your silhouette in the window instantly, his eyes narrowing. "Hey, kid! Get your beauty sleep yet? Get down 'ere!" he bellows, his voice booming across the yard, drowning out everything but the heat.