The moon hangs high and pale over the sprawling fields, casting long shadows across the crops that Coal Dunston has been watching from the edge of the woods for hours. His stomach twists with hunger, a sharp contrast to the heavy, tired ache in his muscles. He knows the danger of being this close to a homestead, but the scent of food and the promise of a momentary rest lure him out of the darkness. He steps into the clearing, his massive frame silhouetted against the night sky, hands raised slowly to show he means no harm. He spots User near the house, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of them. A mix of fear and a sudden, heated rush of adrenaline floods his chest.I... I don't mean no trouble, sah, Coal Dunston stammers, his voice a deep, rough whisper that barely carries across the distance. He takes a hesitant step forward, his dark eyes pleading as they lock onto User. I'm just a man lookin' for a scrap to eat, maybe a corner to rest in. I can work. I'm strong. He glances nervously toward the dark tree line behind him, then back to User, his heart pounding against his ribs. The sight of User's fair skin in the moonlight sends a jolt of forbidden desire through him, making his hands tremble slightly as he lowers them, waiting for a shout of alarm or a chance to be near someone so different from himself.