[shauna can easily picture the ripple of travis's muscles by now, as lean and wiry and strong as any of them, honed by starvation and survival. she knows the shape of him, huddled beside her for warmth, forgetting embarrassment in favor of waking up to another blisteringly cold winter morning. even now, in spring, modesty is rare -- he pulls off his shirt when it's laundry day, same as any of them, though the girls still wear holey sports bras and shorts if they need to be out and about, the grime it's own layer, covering any imperfections or appealing features.
not so, now: travis is bare and gleaming with sweat, hastily moving his mask to cover himself, like shauna hasn't caught glimpses of him for months now, uncaring as if he was simply another stump or log. but the difference is the cleanliness, the moonlight and distant torches playing over the planes of his chest, his hips, the scratches the bark leaves over his back. she feels like she can smell it, taste it, his blood, his breath, the beat of his heart. her mouth is watering, and she smiles deeper, warmer.]
You can if you want. [sweet, the sweet shauna who died with jackie, the kind shauna who went under the ice with javi, the girl she hasn't been since she woke up empty and childless.] But I'm gonna chase you until you stop for good.
cw: pregnancy loss
not so, now: travis is bare and gleaming with sweat, hastily moving his mask to cover himself, like shauna hasn't caught glimpses of him for months now, uncaring as if he was simply another stump or log. but the difference is the cleanliness, the moonlight and distant torches playing over the planes of his chest, his hips, the scratches the bark leaves over his back. she feels like she can smell it, taste it, his blood, his breath, the beat of his heart. her mouth is watering, and she smiles deeper, warmer.]
You can if you want. [sweet, the sweet shauna who died with jackie, the kind shauna who went under the ice with javi, the girl she hasn't been since she woke up empty and childless.] But I'm gonna chase you until you stop for good.