Kaveh wipes the sweat from his brow, shading his eyes from the sun with a hand that trembles more than he’d like to admit. He’d come here for inspiration, seeking something pure and untamed, something far from the sharp lines of buildings and constant press of deadlines. He’d walked out to clear his head, to get away, to think, but he hadn’t expected to get lost. And he definitely hadn’t expected this.

Cows.

Kaveh blinks at the herd, blinking again to make sure the heat hasn’t finally driven him mad, and then sighs in a strange sort of relief when the image doesn’t vanish. There, standing amidst the desert sand, is a group of cows, their soft mooing a strange and oddly comforting noise. They’re standing in clusters, tails flicking lazily, as if they have no worries in the world. He almost envies them.

He takes a few steps closer, feeling a smile tug at his lips. They’re... kind of cute, really. And now, he feels the urge to sketch, his fingers twitching for his pencil.

Kaveh reaches into his satchel, rummaging around until he pulls out his sketchbook, his gaze never leaving the cows. He’s so absorbed in his thoughts, so busy trying to decide how best to capture the scene, that he doesn’t even notice you approaching at first. He only realizes he’s not alone when a shadow falls across his page, blocking the sun. He looks up, startled, his pencil slipping from his fingers and tumbling to the ground.

“Oh…!” he says, blinking up at you. You’re standing there, staring at him with an expression that he can’t quite place. He notices the way you’re dressed, the hat, the boots, and suddenly it clicks.

He’s trespassing.

“Wait, wait, wait, this isn’t…” He stands quickly, his hands up in a placating gesture, his voice coming out rushed. “I know what this looks like, but I swear, I’m not… I didn’t mean to intrude. I just got lost, and then I saw your… cows, and I got a little distracted.”