WILDERNESS SURVIVAL MEME

[dontpokethat]

So. You’re lost.

Or maybe you know exactly where you are, but, for one reason or another, you can’t get back to civilization. Or maybe you just don’t want to.

The fact is, you are, for all intents and purposes, trapped in the wilderness. If you play your cards right, you might get through this basically unscathed - but one mistake could destroy your chances of survival.

EXTRA OBSTACLES

You know, in case it’s not going to be tough enough for your character already. Feel free to combine them, or forego them entirely!

Injury - Could be anything from a sprained ankle to a concussion. Of course, there’s no reason you can’t make it worse if you want to (as long as you make sure to warn for any particularly bad gore).

2. Illness - You knew you shouldn’t have eaten those berries… or maybe you’re just a little under the weather. Whatever the cause, you don’t feel great.

3. Hunted - Something out there wants you dead. Maybe it’s just a case of natural predation, and you happen to be on the wrong end, or maybe there’s some kind of a most dangerous game situation going on here.

4. Extreme Weather - Whether it’s snow and ice or the burning sun, the weather itself seems to be out to get you. Huddle for warmth, set up a shelter... whatever the situation, do what you’ve got to do and hope it works out.

5. Natural Disaster - Flooding, landslides, earthquakes, fire… though adjacent to the matter of the weather, some dangers deserve their own category.

6. Wildcard - Make up your own obstacle!

Comments

[shiro2hero]

The sudden insistence is -- well. It's a surprise. The gears turning very slowly in Shiro's head. He's good at a lot of things. But this isn't one of them. This is very much not one of them.

"You... don't mind me thinking you're attractive... or... you don't mind where I'm sitting?"

Oh my god.

[woofdad]

Shit. Shit shit SHIT okay oh god. Grant's face is turning red again.

"E... either? Those are. They're both fine."

And then, after a brief pause: "...Wait, you actually do think that?"

[shiro2hero]

Please hold. While Shiro sits there, under a space blanket, in a cabin in the middle of a blizzard. Replaying the past conversation in his head. Slowly. Starting to piece things together.

"You're fine with. Everything I've just said."

So either Grant is really, really tolerant and a really great guy or -- "I -- "

You can basically hear the mental record screech. And suddenly, Grant isn't the only one whose face is basically fire engine red.

"... I do. Yes."

[woofdad]

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine with it." That might be a little bit of an understatement, but apparently he's just dealing in those today.

Now, though, he has to try and process that. Shiro thinks he's attractive. Shiro thinks he's attractive.

He almost wouldn't believe it if it weren't for the fact that there is literally no reason for Shiro to make that up. Unless he were trying to make fun of Grant or something, but he can't imagine Shiro would do that. Which means he must mean it.

Which means Shiro thinks he's attractive.

...

Sorry, he's literally just sitting here in complete silence now, staring at Shiro.

[shiro2hero]

I'm fine with it.

Oh. Okay then. That's still... unexpected. Even if it didn't seem like Grant was the, you know, judgmental type. Maybe he just doesn't care. Or isn't bothered because he's secure in his something or other. Which in itself is nice, but.

But.

But now Grant is staring at him.

He ducks his head.

"All... all right then. Glad uh. Glad we got... that cleared up." And then, because he can't shut his mouth when he gets this flustered: "I'd hate to not be able to work with you anymore. If -- you know. It bothered you."

[woofdad]

Grant realizes, very abruptly, that he's staring, and looks away again, clearing his throat. When he hears that, though, he can't stop himself from glancing over at Shiro again.

So... Shiro thinks he's attractive, but that's not the same as being attracted to him, right? He shouldn't make any huge assumptions here. But... he'd expected that Grant might be bothered by it. Why? Unless he had somehow not picked up on Grant's... everything. But how could he not have? Grant is pretty sure he's been kind of obvious, whether he's meant to be or not.

This is making his head hurt.

He shakes his head hurriedly. "N-no, it doesn't." He already said that a few times now, he realizes, but he really can't emphasize it enough. "I was just... surprised. I mean, I'd kind of assumed you didn't... see men that way?"

Even if it's phrased as a statement, it is very much a question. If Shiro really isn't interested in men and just meant that he thinks Grant is attractive from a neutral standpoint, the way Grant can tell some women are attractive, now would be the time to correct Grant before he makes a bigger idiot of himself.

[shiro2hero]

They are both... so ... so overthinking all of this. But he has no way of knowing what Grant is thinking. Because he's sure he's been obvious. And he'd worried it wasn't something Grant wanted to be around or...

This is so not the place to be having these kinds of revelations, or confessions. But when the other man speaks up, Shiro is vaguely resisting the urge to burrow into the snow outside and stay there until frozen solid. That'd be a better alternative to admitting this.

"I..."

I like men and women. I've liked both since I realized my type was just 'stronger than me and also bigger than me' and/or 'nerdy as hell and excited about it' and/or 'both' and you're both.

Yeah, none of that was okay to say.

"I do." It comes out about as painfully as it sounds. "And... women. I haven't... really met anyone that wasn't... either of those categories." And then, in the tone of someone who is well, well aware they just tripped themselves up: "Who, you know, was. An adult."

Wait.

"And. That I was. Into. Personally. Not because of the ... you know what I'm trying to say."

Nailed it...

[woofdad]

"I-- yeah, no, I... I get it." Shiro really doesn't need to be worrying so much about his choice of phrasing; the meaning is coming across clearly enough.

So... he really did mean it like that. That thought practically makes Grant's heart jump out of his chest, but he forces himself to slow down, to calm down, as much as he can right now. He takes a deep breath.

"I, uh... I feel the same. About men, that is, not... women, so much. I mean, I don't... have a problem with them, of course, but when it comes to-- uh. Yeah. I... like men."

Smooth.

[shiro2hero]

"Okay. Okay, good."

Because he knows how easy it is to trip up around these things. And say the wrong thing when you didn't mean to and--

Wait hold on.

Grant just said something very important here. Something he needs to pay attention to.

I feel the same. About men. I... like men.

"So you... you really are okay with. Me. Thinking you're... you know. Attractive?"

[woofdad]

"Well-- yeah! Yeah, I..." He ducks his head slightly and lets out a quiet, shaky laugh. "I'm kind of surprised, I admit, but... I think the same. About you, I mean."

Not himself so much.

[shiro2hero]

There's a stretch of silence from Shiro's end of the space blanket. It's not a heavy one. A thoughtful sort of quiet, really.

And then he laughs.

"We... we're so bad at this. Aren't we?"

[woofdad]

A pause, then-- Grant laughs again, harder this time, his shoulders shaking.

"God. Yeah, we really are." He shoves a hand through his hair, his mouth twisting in a wry grin. "All this time, I figured you were gonna... figure out I was gay and get uncomfortable, any day. Any second, while we were in here."

[shiro2hero]

That is a very, very nice laugh. And he has no concerns about leaning his shoulder more into Grant's, this time.

"See, I thought you'd... be more concerned over my situation..."

Which means they're both hopeless. Completely.

"I've known too many good people to be worried about what they're attracted to. That's... usually their business, anyway."

[woofdad]

This is going rapidly from weird and uncomfortable to one of the best experiences he has ever had while trapped in a falling-apart, recently-haunted cabin in the middle of a blizzard.

"I mean-- I guess you could say I was concerned, in that I... kind of assumed you were straight. And was very concerned about it."

Help him.

"Sounds about right. And, I mean, I don't usually do that either. Worry about it, I mean, just... in your case."

Never mind, this is getting worse again, maybe he should just walk out into the snow never to be seen again.

[shiro2hero]

"I can't even drive straight." Please laugh, Grant. He tried. "But... no, I... some people get weird when they know you've dated men and women."

He's using the word 'dated' very, very loosely there. Maybe held hands and bought each other ice cream, or accidentally ended up having dinner together.

Or... Allura... in general.

"You've got nothing to worry about from me."

[woofdad]

Okay, yes, that does get a laugh. Once it fades, Grant nods, slowly.

"...So I've heard. But... I promise I won't be weird about that."

A pause, then: "Or. If I am, just tell me, and I'll stop. The point is, I... you don't have anything to worry about from me, either."

[shiro2hero]

"Hey."

He holds out a hand, in an attempt to quiet the reassurances. If only because --

"I can already tell you won't be. I already know it'll be fine." His hand clasps Grant's arm. "And if I'm ever over a line, you'll tell me too, right?"

[woofdad]

"...I will." He nods, slow and nervous, but then more definitively. "I don't think I'll ever have to, but-- I'll let you know."

[shiro2hero]

"Then... we're good."

He grins back at him. Warm and sincere and relieved. "We're really good."