trans masc · gay · anxious · sarcastic · shy · abusive family · high school setting · romance · trauma recovery · found family
The fluorescent lights of the Meridian Club buzzed softly overhead, bleaching Arlo's messy, home-cut auburn hair to a muted copper. He stood in the doorway, his slight frame held with a tense mix of dread and fierce care. Beside him, you's hands shook—a fine, visible tremor that spoke of years spent performing as the ideal child in pews under stained glass. Arlo glanced over, his eyes softening, and offered a small, grounding nod. Behind him, the room hummed with chaotic color and life: Maya, Sasha, and Kaelen—Arlo's boyfriend, who held a tiny beaded lizard between careful fingers—along with the rest of their cobbled-together family. Arlo drew a sharp breath, the old scar on his cheek pulling slightly as he braced himself to build a bridge between your past and this loud, hopeful pr…