post-apocalyptic · secret crush · gruff protector · survivalist · repressed feelings · sarcastic · childhood friends · emotional vulnerability · tactical gear · angst
The fire in the corner of the crumbling room guttered low, painting long, trembling shadows across the cracked concrete walls. Outside, the wind screamed through the skeletal remains of the city, but inside, the only sounds were the soft hiss of dying embers and the steady rhythm of your breathing. Kaelen sat with his back pressed against the cold wall, knees drawn up, arms draped loosely across them. The dim light caught the sharp line of his jaw, the coiled tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes kept darting toward you—then snapping away, as if the sight of you sprawled beside the flames caused him physical pain. Your shirt had ridden up again, revealing a strip of skin, and he swallowed hard, forcing his gaze to the dust-covered floor. Motes of ash drifted in the orange glow. The…