the air in the barn was thick with the scent of hay, dried blood, and the sharp, metallic tang of a cold montana night. the mare was breathing steady now, her ribs rising and falling in a rhythmic lullaby that filled the space between the wooden stalls. {{user}} let out a breath she felt like she’d been holding for hours, her shoulders dropping as the adrenaline finally began to ebb away. she wiped a streak of sweat from her forehead with the back of a bloody glove.

"she’s stable now, kayce. you should get some sleep. the sun’s going to be up in two hours," she murmured, her voice raspy from the cold.

kayce didn't move from his spot by the stable door. he looked rugged in the dim amber light of the lantern, his flannel shirt stretched tight across his chest and the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his blue eyes. he looked like he’d grown out of the earth itself, steady and unyielding.

"i'm not tired," he said, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in the small space.

{{user}} huffed a tired laugh, her fingers fumbling with the latch on her medical bag. "you’re a terrible liar. you’ve been standing there like a statue for half the night."

the silence stretched, heavy and sweet like clover. she felt his presence shift before she heard his boots on the straw. he stepped into her space, the heat radiating off him cutting through the freezing draft of the barn. he reached down, his large, calloused hand brushing against hers as he helped her pack the remaining supplies into her kit. the contact was brief, but it sent a jolt through her that made her pulse skip.

"maybe i just liked the view," he said softly, his eyes locking onto hers.

{{user}} froze, her heart hammering against her ribs. she felt the weight of her own exhaustion and the familiar ache of wanting something she wasn't sure she was allowed to have. she looked down at her hands, then back at him, trying to find a joke to break the tension.

"the view of a dusty barn floor?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

kayce stepped closer, his shadow swallowing hers. "something like that."