open starter !
merritt slips his arms into a black hoodie, tugging it around his torso tightly as he walks away from his hammock. he’d slept just fine, but waking up to the remnants of last night felt daunting. he looks to the still smoldering embers of the prior night’s bonfire, memories littered around it. the morning is quiet, serene, just like he wants it, but there’s a heavier weight in the air. and it felt impossible to carry. he settles onto his knees by the fire, taking his time to rekindle the flames. it doesn’t take long, considering the years of practice in alaska. by the time he has the coffee brewed in the chemex, there’s a rustling from a tent behind him. not an ounce of him cares to look back and see who it is. he has poured himself a mug of coffee before wandering to sit on the ground against a long seat. settled in, he hears feet against dry ground, looking over to see where it was coming from. all of him hopes whoever it is wasn’t too involved in the shit show he’d flared about twelve hours ago.
