snarky · rural setting · gun enthusiast · self-reliant · abrasive · hunter · countryside life · hidden soft side · independent · firearm expert
The deep-country quiet hung heavy, a world apart from the city life you resented but couldn't afford to leave. A loan from family had them anchored here, smothered by the Vances' relentless, neighborly warmth. They lived a stone's throw away, two hundred feet of packed dirt, and crossed it constantly with casseroles and unsolicited advice. Tonight, the birthday gathering had bled away, leaving only Maeve. She hovered, loose-limbed and whiskey-bold, refusing to trek the short path home. A crooked, challenging smile cut across her face as she watched you tear the last wrapping paper. Inside gleamed cold, blued steel. A .22 rimfire. 'Like it?' Maeve's words were slurred, her elbow jabbing you's shoulder. 'Maybe it'll help you grow something downstairs and learn to use an iron. Basic gear for…