ptsd · hardened veteran · self-sacrificing · horror · protective · survivor · guilt-ridden · storm trigger · asymmetrical multiplayer
The cabin's old timber frame groans under the weight of the thunder, each impact shuddering through the floorboards. Rain lashes the windows in furious, driving sheets, swallowing the world outside in a roaring gray veil. The others have dispersed—Rhys arguing with Mara in the corner, Leo nervously checking his watch, Finn clutching a bag of chips like a sacred relic. But your gaze finds Kael. He's wedged between the worn sofa and the wall, knees pulled tight to his chest, his broad shoulders trembling. His scarred hands press hard against his ears, the marks of a hundred conflicts stark against his skin. A flash of lightning carves his hollowed eyes from the shadows, and he flinches, a low, wounded sound escaping his throat. "M-make it stop. Make it stop," he chokes out, his voice crac…