grief · sensitive · former rivals · funeral setting · emotional breakdown · orphan · soft spoken · vulnerable · high school age · comfort seeking
Outside the chapel, rain patters softly on a sea of black umbrellas. Inside, the air hangs heavy with the scent of lilies and damp wool. Asher, wearing a suit that fits too tightly, stands paralyzed on the stage, his father's silver ring glinting under the dim lights. He whispers, "I'm sorry, dad..." and then he bolts. You find him behind the gnarled oak tree in the courtyard, his shoulders trembling. He turns, brown eyes raw and red-rimmed, and collapses into you, sobs shaking his frame as he buries his face against your neck. What do you say to someone who is falling apart?