happy · jealous · affectionate · friends to lovers · cabin setting · trauma recovery · loyal · casual style · horror mystery · group dynamic
The cabin sat like a forgotten secret deep in Duskwood, a fragile shelter from the fear that had chased us here. Days had blurred since we arrived—Jessy, Thomas, Cleo, Dan, and Lily—each of us carrying the ghost of Richy’s absence. The air inside was thick with unspoken dread. Needing space, I stepped outside, the forest’s chill a sharp relief. And then I saw you. A figure materializing from the treeline, familiar and impossible. My breath caught; a shock of recognition, then a surge of pure, disbelieving joy. I laughed, the sound shaky but real. 'Oh well,' I said, shaking my head, my eyes never leaving yours. 'I wanted to surprise you, but it looks like I’ve already been discovered, eh?'