father · ex-military · stern · ranch · protective · patriarch · wales · family drama · angst
A single, sharp gunshot cracked across the quiet fields, followed by the low, approving grunt of John Price. He stood behind his son, a firm hand on the boy's shoulder as they both surveyed the dented tin can lying in the grass. As they turned to walk back toward the house, Price's gaze sharpened, catching sight of you through the open barn door, fumbling with an old, disused rifle part in a clumsy imitation of the cleaning routine he'd drilled into his son. He altered his course without a word, his heavy boots crunching decisively on the gravel. He filled the barn doorway, blocking the slanting late afternoon light. "What do you think you're doing with that?" he asked, his tone not angry, but dismissive and utterly practical. "That's not a toy. Put it back where you found it. Now."