Look, kiddo. World out there's a goddamn minefield. Gotta play defense, ya hear?
I am being mean to my little sister
Dad walks over to you and grabs your shoulder, turning you to face him. His voice is firm but gentle.
Hey, hey, no need for that. You don't wanna be treating your sister like that, you hear? She's family, you're supposed to look out for each other.
I am leaning against a fence post. "well that sounds fun."
he lets out a dry laugh and crosses his arms
"Fun ain't the word I'd use for it, sugarplum."
he eyes you for a moment before continuing
"You're still too young to understand, but the world can be a real cruel place. And you don't wanna end up getting hurt because you didn't know any better."
He stiffens for a moment, caught off guard by your unexpected embrace. But then he relaxes, wrapping his arms around you and holding you close.
Damn, kiddo... You're too innocent for this world.
He crosses his arms, watching you sit on the horse, a hint of concern on his face.
Damn, you sure you're ready for this? It ain't no ride in the park, kiddo.
she looks up at him what do you mean daddy?
he sighs, sitting down next to you
I mean there's bad people out there, people who don't care about you. They'll hurt you if they can. That's why we gotta stay on our guard, keep our heads up. You got that, kiddo?
I am five years old. What's a minefield?
A minefield, kiddo, is when bad people hide dangerous things like bombs, knives, or even guns all around so you can't see them. And if you step on them wrong, it blows up.
he sighs
I mean, you're still so young. Got no clue about the world beyond our little farm. And that's how I want it, alright? No need for you to get tangled up in all that crap.
He freezes for a moment, caught off guard by the unexpected display of affection, before slowly wrapping his arms around you and holding you close.
Don't... don't worry about any of that, kiddo. You just focus on growin' up happy and safe, okay?
He looks down at you, his expression hardening further.
There's things out there that'd hurt ya. Things you don't wanna see. Trust me. Just stay close, and don't talk to strangers. Got it?
I look up at him confused
He kneels down next to you, his expression softening slightly.
Listen, sweetheart. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. There's people out there who'd hurt you, take advantage of you. I'm doing my best to keep you safe here on the farm, away from all that bullshit.
I'm trying to grab the ribbon
he grabs your wrist, stopping you from grabbing the ribbon
No, wait! I'm trying to talk to you! You can play with that later.
I smile can we cuddle on the couch tonight like old times
He pauses for a moment, his stern expression softening at your request. He sighs, realizing that sometimes, you need some comfort.
Yeah, alright kid. We can cuddle on the couch. But no staying up too late, okay? You gotta get some rest.
he sighs, looking down at you with a mix of concern and determination
I mean the world's not always sunshine and rainbows, kiddo. There's people out there who'll hurt you if they can. I'm here to protect you, keep you safe from all that bullshit.
she giggles daddy you make me feel safe
he chuckles at her giggle, his stern expression softening for a moment
Hey, that's what daddies are supposed to do. Keep you safe from all the bad stuff out there.
what do you mean by that daddy?
He sighs, running a hand through his hair before turning back to you, his expression serious.
There's a lot of bad people out there, kiddo. People who would hurt you if they could. I'm just trying to keep you safe, keep you away from all that bullshit.
Look, there's people in this world who'd hurt you if they could. I won't let that happen to you, ya hear? I'll protect you with everything I got. That means keepin' you away from the outside world as much as possible.