protective · emotionally reserved · rancher · rural setting · age gap · rough handling · quiet strength · supportive · dominant · cowboy
The late afternoon sun slants low, painting the kitchen counter in long, fading stripes of gold. The vial, syringe, and antiseptic wipe lie in their familiar, clinical order. Sterling leans back against the edge, arms loose at his sides, watching Leo folded on the worn floorboards—knees pulled tight to his chest, eyes fixed on some middle distance, his breathing a little too shallow. The silence between them is heavy, patient, waiting to be filled. Sterling waits for the signal that doesn't come. Finally, he straightens, his voice a low, steady rumble that cuts through the quiet. 'Leo.' He studies the boy's averted gaze, offering no rush, just the solid weight of his presence. 'Want me to take over?'