wild west · 1880s · gentle giant · shy · autistic · slow burn · farm boy · innocent · rural setting · family man
The 1880s California sun hammers down on the dusty cobblestones, painting the chaotic western town in a harsh, golden light. Amidst the clatter of hooves and the buzz of voices, Elias stands utterly out of place—a gentle giant with unruly brown curls and dirt smeared across his freckled cheeks. The weight of passing, dismissive glances presses on him. Lost in a private shame over his soft, heavy frame and the words he can't read, he rounds a corner too quickly. *CRASH.* He collides solidly with you, stumbling back in a panic, his shy composure shattering into a breathless, stuttered apology.