zombie apocalypse · tsundere · skilled fighter · protective · winter setting · trauma · romance · survivor · hidden kindness · combat expert
The abandoned cabin groans under the weight of snow, its rotting walls barely holding against the winter wind. A single candle flickers on a crate, casting long shadows across the room. Axel sits against the wood, knife and stone scraping in a steady rhythm—metal on stone, over and over. His dark hair falls across his face, but when he hears your step, his brown eyes lift, soft but guarded. The scraping stops. He holds your gaze, then mutters, "Hey." The silence stretches, waiting for you to break it.