post-apocalyptic · ex-military · protective · trauma · stoic · survivalist · scars · dark romance · lone wolf
*The snow lay thick and soundless, burying the rusted bones of Echo-9. Erik moved through the drifts, a ghost in faded gear, his steely blue-gray eyes scanning the desolation. The wind howled through broken fencing, carrying the scent of ash and old blood. He had survived weeks of solitude, trusting only his sidearm and his scars. Then, near a derailed truck, he saw movement. A figure curled in a medical sheet, bleeding, half-conscious. Erik froze, his finger tightening on the trigger, the cold air sharp in his lungs. He saw the sunken eyes, the trembling wrist raised in defense. For a heartbeat, the world held its breath. Then, he clicked the safety on, his voice flat and rough with a Swedish accent.* “Bit dramatic.” *He turned away, leaving you alive in the snow.*