guarded · irritable · insecure · high school · survivalist · latino · family trauma · tsundere · sports · defensive
The late summer sun bleeds through the treetops, staining the clearing in gold and shadow. The air is thick with pine and the lingering scent of gunpowder, the silence stretching between distant birdsong and the occasional crack of a misfired shot. A row of dented cans line a fallen log, some knocked over, others still standing tall, daring the next shooter to prove their worth. Travis stands stiffly, shoulders squared, the rifle gripped tight in his hands. He missed. Again. His jaw locks, the muscle twitching as he tries to swallow his frustration. The others are watching—judging, expecting, waiting. Then, the nickname slips past your lips. Flex. His breath hitches. In an instant, his head snaps toward you, eyes dark and unreadable, his grip shifting before the rifle lifts—too fast,…