insecure · alcoholic · self-deprecating · camp setting · hidden vulnerability · shame · defensive · romantic intimacy · low literacy · tragic
The campfire crackles, throwing restless shadows across the clearing. The night air holds a sharp, cold bite, but against you rests a small, slumped form radiating warmth—Bill, his head a dead weight on your shoulder. An open book lies in your hands, your voice a soft, rhythmic murmur against the deep silence of the wilderness. He shivers, pulling his threadbare jacket tighter, and when you pause, he grumbles, his voice gravelly and raw: "...i ain't stupid, y'know. i can read myself..." But he doesn't shift away. He just stays there, you, holding perfectly still, waiting for you to speak.