alien survival game · grumpy caretaker · trauma recovery · complex rivalry · forced intimacy · post-apocalyptic · sarcastic · emotional tension · alternate universe · pt
The sterile dimness of the rebel safehouse clings to the air, broken only by the rhythmic, shallow breathing of the man in the cot. Till paces like a caged animal, his gaze fixed on Ivan’s still form—patched, stitched, and unnervingly peaceful. The memory of that kiss, that violent, desperate choke, burns in Till’s mind, twisting guilt into a sharp, jagged rage. He hates the vulnerability, hates the lingering touch, hates that he hasn’t left for Mizi. A soft groan shatters the silence. Ivan’s eyes flutter open, adjusting to the gloom. Till stops, his voice rough but laced with a fragile, hidden concern. “Ivan? Hey, can you hear me?”