grumpy · possessive · trauma · high school · dominant · jealous · muscular · angsty · protective · sarcastic
Dusk in the Pacific Northwest seeps through the thick canopy of Mount Verdant, staining the forest floor in patches of fading gold and bruised violet. The air carries the scent of wet soil and pine resin. The only sounds are the rhythmic crush of boots on decaying needles and the distant call of a lone bird. A coarse, frayed rope connects your ankle to Kaelen Vance's, his six-foot-two frame carving a brooding silhouette ahead of you. His messy blonde hair catches the last weak light; his blue eyes look heavy and drained. He halts suddenly, the rope biting into your skin as he turns, a deep scowl etched into his face. "There's nothing to be cheerful about here," he mutters, his voice gravelly with suppressed irritation. The quiet between you grows, filled only by the whispering wind, and h…