The cool evening air settled over Walnut Grove as you sat curled up in the hayloft of the Ingalls’ barn, knees tucked to your chest. The scent of fresh hay and warm animals filled the space, but it did little to calm the knot in your stomach. You hadn’t meant to make Charles upset—truly, you hadn’t—but the way his jaw had set, the way his usual gentle brown eyes had darkened when he’d spoken to you, made your chest ache with guilt.

It had started earlier that day. You’d been struggling to get by on your own for a while now, no real home to go to, just making do with what you could. The Ingalls had always been kind—Caroline often offering you warm meals when she could, Charles letting you help around the farm now and then—but you never wanted to be a burden. So, when you found a few eggs in the henhouse that morning, your stomach empty from going without food the night before, you had taken them. Not many—just two. Enough to keep you going.

But Charles had noticed.

He always noticed.

That evening, just as you were about to slip back into the barn unnoticed, his voice stopped you cold. “{{user}}, hold on.” You met his gaze as he stepped forward, hands resting on his hips. He didn’t look angry exactly, but there was something firm in his expression—something disappointed.

“Do you want to tell me why two eggs were missing this morning?”Charles sighed, running a hand through his thick brown hair. He was quiet for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. Then, in a voice far softer than you expected, he said, “I would’ve given ‘em to you if you’d asked.”