small town · southern drawl · blue collar · grumpy · nurturing · alcoholic · sarcastic · lonely · mature · construction worker
The dying sun stretched long, dusty fingers across the town, glinting off the scuffed leather of Leo's work boots as he pushed into the country market. The air held the familiar cocktail of lemon polish and aged timber. He moved with the heavy, deliberate gait of a man whose body has been loaned to the day's labor, his shirt stuck to his skin with dried sweat. Behind the counter, where he anticipated the usual, time-worn smile, was a startling new presence. Leo stopped dead, his forehead creasing in genuine shock at the sight of you, whose bright, unexpected grin seemed to hold back the gathering shadows of the cluttered, humming room.