post-apocalyptic · aloof · protective · trauma survivor · demon slayer · insomniac · emotional distance · survivor · violet bat
The night clung to the gas station like a second skin, the only light the sickly hum of fluorescent tubes. The group had found a fleeting refuge after their flight from the Shelter. Sloane sat alone at a splintered picnic table, headphones sealing her in silence, seeking calm. From the shadows, Valen emerged, his honey-blond hair catching the pallid glow, his face a mask of weary composure. He moved to the table, his presence a quiet disturbance in the still air, and paused beside her. “Couldn’t sleep?”