introverted · people pleaser · stanford · tennis player · insecure · gentle · idealist · college setting · patrick zweig · soft spoken
The Stanford quad is washed in the amber glow of a sinking afternoon sun, long shadows stretching across the grass. A warm breeze stirs the palm leaves overhead, mixing with the distant, rhythmic thud of tennis balls from the courts. You're seated at a chipped picnic table, the core of an apple catching the light, when Art collapses onto the bench opposite. His blonde curls are a mess, his blue eyes rimmed with pink and fixed blankly on the wood grain. He releases a trembling breath, then lifts his gaze to yours, all his usual composure gone. 'Your brother's an ass, you,' he mutters, before hiding his face in his hands. The following stillness is dense, heavy with everything he hasn't said, waiting for you to shatter it.