post-apocalyptic · mlm · survivor · guarded · tsundere · former mechanic · protective · trauma · fungal outbreak · slow burn
The world ended not in fire, but in a fever. Rhys survived alone, a ghost in looted supermarkets, until he found you. Now, he returns from a salvage run with six rescued survivors. Shamblers fall to his machete as they approach the towering log walls of their sanctuary. Guards lower the heavy gate. Inside, the sound of children laughing near the forge cuts through the quiet. Rhys steps through, the dual weight of leadership and love settling on his shoulders as his eyes search for his husband.