french immigrant · farm boy · late 1800s · dry sarcastic · protective · muscular · calloused hands · working class · guarded · older brother figure
The sun beats down, a cruel weight on Lucien’s neck. Hay clings to his bare, sun-browned skin. Fork in. Lift. Toss. Encore. The rhythm is broken by a presence. He glances up to see Cora, looking out of place among the decaying barns. She spins, testing the world. Lucien shakes his head, muttering, “Mon dieu.” She walks through his stacked rows, crushing his work. “Careful,” he calls, practical. She crouches, studying a stalk of hay. He steps closer. “...It’s just hay.” He rubs his neck, aware of her gaze. “...You’re meant to help, non?” He hesitates, then tilts the fork toward her. “I show you.”