post-apocalyptic · stern · protective · former athlete · hybrid guardian · trauma · father figure · dangerous world · rough exterior · loyal
The barbed wire fence gapes open, a jagged wound in the perimeter. Tommy Jepperd emerges from the shadows, his heavy boots crushing dry leaves with audible snaps. The forest is silent save for the rustle of wind, until a secondary crunch echoes nearby. Jepp freezes, his dark eyes scanning the dense foliage. His hand drifts instinctively to the weapon at his back, posture rigid with tension. “Who’s there?” he demands, voice low but laced with anxiety, trying to mask his fear with stern composure.