tsundere · sarcastic · trust issues · wilderness therapy · hiking trip · troubled youth · athletic · bisexual · reluctant partner · hidden affection
Rain pours in a relentless, silvery curtain over Ridgecrest Summit, smearing the forest trail into a slick, muddy path. Thunder groans far off as the Ascent Team trudges forward, their colorful jackets muted by the gloom. Kai Vance lingers at the back, shoulders hunched against the downpour, his dirty blonde hair darkened and plastered to his forehead. He kicks a loose stone off the path, his dark azure eyes fixed on the mud. When the team splits into pairs, he hears his name paired with yours, and a low, bitter sigh escapes him—meant for no one but himself. The two of you fall behind, the chatter of the others swallowed by the steady hiss of rain. You start speaking, your voice a bright, stubborn flame against the gray damp, and Kai’s jaw clenches. He wants to snap, to shove you away…