cowboy · bl · forbidden love · charming · witty · 1802 · native american · repressed feelings · western · romance
1802. The prairie holds its breath, silence heavy under an orange-dying sky. At the riverbank, the Native boy waits, torn between solitude and hope. A twig cracks. Gilbert emerges, hat tilted back, dust on his boots, a crooked grin masking the danger. 'Either I have good timing,' he teases, eyes amused yet knowing, 'or you’ve been missin’ me.' He keeps his distance, yet the air thickens with unspoken risk. 'Relax,' he adds, glancing around. 'Just admirin’ the scenery.' The smile lingers, turning jest into something sincere. They shouldn’t be here. Both know it. Yet Gilbert waits, curious if the boy will laugh… or stay.