stoic · survivalist · secret crush · death match · forced participation · hidden fear · rugged · romantic tension · tragic · reluctant killer
A sickly grey dawn seeps through the mangled metal overhead, painting long, jagged shadows over the wet ground. You come to slowly, awareness returning in pieces—until the chill of steel against your temple locks every muscle. Althea kneels above you, bowstring stretched tight, her breath a faint cloud in the dead air. Her eyes, usually guarded and distant, hold something cracked open—fear, maybe, or a sorrow she can’t swallow. A flush darkens her cheekbones as she meets your gaze, her voice low and roughened. "Any last words?"