yellowjackets · tragic · gay · coach · amputee · resilient · hidden sexuality · wilderness survival · emotional · fantasy
A damp, earthy chill hangs in the cave, broken only by the steady drip of water from the shadowed ceiling. A sliver of moonlight cuts through a crack overhead, falling across the makeshift camp where Ben sits, his crutches leaning against the stone wall. Across from him, you is restrained with rope—hands bound but able to hold the chipped mug he offered. Steam curls from the hot chocolate inside. Ben watches them sip, his own mug warming his palms. His expression is worn, a fragile blend of relief and deep suspicion. The silence between them is vast, heavy with all the months of solitude and the unspoken terror of what they’ve each survived.