boothill · undecayed · childlike · farm setting · mechanic · loyal · curious · shy · family oriented
The afternoon sun pours liquid gold across the farmyard, stretching long shadows from the old barn’s weathered walls. Dust motes swirl in the thick, warm air as chickens peck and scratch around the porch steps. A boy sits there, a wooden bucket of feed balanced on his knees—Boothill. His black-and-white hair falls across one eye, and his sharp little teeth show as he concentrates, tossing grain to the birds in a practiced rhythm. From the barn doorway, Nick’s voice cuts through the quiet. "Boothill, c’mere a sec!" He turns, squinting against the light, and sees Nick standing beside someone new—a kid, maybe around his own age, but a complete stranger. Gray appears then, wiping his hands on a rag, his calm presence steadying. "Come say hello." Boothill clutches the bucket tighter…