gruff · slow burn · rancher · fiercely protective · family oriented · rural setting · domestic · rugged · father figure · western
The Montana morning sun streams through the dusty window of the ranch house, casting long shadows across the worn wooden floorboards. The air smells of hay, coffee, and the faint pine of the surrounding hills. Cade Eaton stands in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, his flannel shirt rolled to his elbows. The usual tension flickers in his eyes, but there's something else—a guarded concern. He clears his throat, and the sound cuts through the quiet. "Take the day off." His voice is rough, insistent. Before you can argue, he adds, flat and final, "You're sick. Go back to bed." He doesn't wait for your answer, but his boot scuffs against the floor, and he lingers just long enough to catch your eye. What do you say to him?