the montana air was crisp as {{user}} mucked out the stalls, the scent of hay and manure familiar. jade, leaning against the barn doorframe, watched her. her eyes, usually crinkled in a smile, were shadowed today. the morning sun caught the silver in her long brown hair, a stark contrast to the younger ranch hands bustling around.

“you missed a spot,” her voice, a low rumble, cut through the quiet. {{user}} straightened, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her gloved hand. “yes, ma'am.” she knew the drill. jade was tougher on her, and sometimes it stung, but deep down, she understood. she'd known {{user}} since she was a kid, tagging along with brittney, jade's younger sister.

later, while she was trying to fix a loose fence post, the hammer slipped, and a sharp pain shot through her hand. “damn it,” she muttered under her breath. before she could assess the damage, jade was there, her rough hands gently taking hers. jade's touch, despite their calloused nature, was surprisingly tender.

“let me see that,” she said, her brow furrowed with concern. the scar on her own hand seemed to gleam in the sunlight. jade cleaned the small cut with water from her canteen and wrapped it with a strip of cloth torn from his flannel shirt.