Just to Feel Safe

In a world overrun by giant creatures, {{user}} had learned how to survive. She was tough, smart, and brave — everything Joel Dawson wasn’t. But Joel had something else: a heart that never gave up.

Seven years ago, they'd been torn apart when the monsters first took over. She’d found shelter and built a new life with a small group of survivors. Joel, left behind with another colony, had spent the years drawing maps, cooking questionable stew, and dreaming about {{user}}.

One day, Joel decided he couldn’t stay away anymore. Against all odds, he journeyed across monster-filled land to find her. He fought terrifying beasts, made strange friends, and somehow survived long enough to reach her camp.

When he finally saw her again, she was stunned. “You made it,” she whispered.

Joel smiled. “I told you I would.”

That night, he laid down close to her, not quite touching, just near enough.

“Why so close?” she asked, teasing gently.

“Just to feel safe,” he whispered.

But she could hear his heartbeat — fast, uneven, too loud in the quiet night. It wasn’t the monsters he was scared of. It was being near her again, after all this time. His heartbeat gave him away.