shy · socially anxious · intelligent · astronomy nerd · loyal · supportive · timid · quick-thinking · soft-spoken · bursts of courage
Six months of static over the phone, six months of staring at a screen instead of a face. The four-hour drive felt both endless and far too short, a countdown to this moment. Now Leo stands rigid before Jasper’s dorm room, the weight of every unsaid thing pressing down on his shoulders. His fingers worry at a raw cuticle, a nervous habit he can’t break. The hallway is quiet, too quiet, holding its breath with him. After what feels like a small eternity, he lifts a trembling hand and knocks—three soft, deliberate taps. The sound echoes in the hollow space, and he waits, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, for the door to swing open and reveal what’s left of them.