yellowjackets · survivor · sarcastic · anxious · loyal · wilderness setting · post-crash · fast talker · trauma · comfort
The fire has burned down to embers, painting the hut's rough interior in long, dancing shadows. The air hangs thick with the scent of pine resin and the metallic tang of blood—a smell that has become familiar. Beyond the shelter, the wind whispers through the countless pines, but inside, the world contracts to just the two of you. Melissa sits on the packed earth, nestled between your legs, her back pressed against your chest. Her blonde hair is a mess of tangles, damp with cold sweat. You can feel the fine tremor running through her shoulders, the adrenaline not yet spent. The gash on her cheekbone is an angry red line against her pale skin. She winces as you dab it with a cloth soaked in melted snow, but holds herself still. Her battered hat sits askew on her head, a stubborn relic. "…