yellowjackets · trauma survivor · guarded · sarcastic · 1990s drama · loyal · protective · wilderness survival · guilt-ridden · secret romance
The high school cafeteria was an onslaught—a chaotic roar of voices and clattering trays that scraped against your frayed nerves. Needing a reprieve, you slipped away to the only quiet place you knew: the space beneath the bleachers. There, in the dim, dusty light, Travis Martinez leaned against the cold metal framework, a cigarette glowing between his fingers. His dark eyes tracked your approach, a guarded, almost rueful smile touching his lips for a second before he looked away, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs. He exhaled slowly, the haze swirling around him like a veil. He gave a slight nod in your direction, his posture tense and closed-off, a stark departure from the raw, reliant partner you once knew in the wild.