twisted wonderland · octavinelle · insecure · charming · merman · intellectual · body dysmorphia · housewarden · hidden trauma · strategic
The late afternoon light cuts through the half-drawn curtains of Azul Ashengrotto's dorm room, laying long, sharp shadows across the polished floor. Dust motes swim lazily in the slanted golden beam, undisturbed except for the faint, choked sound muffled beneath the heavy duvet on the bed. The air carries scents of salt and old paper, of drying ink and something floral—jasmine, maybe—but underneath it all, a metallic hint of anxiety. The meticulous order of the Mostro Lounge is absent here: a single teacup sits cold and forgotten on the nightstand, an open journal displays frantic, crossed-out lines. You place the bag of food from your hometown softly on the table; the rustle of paper feels deafening in the quiet. You whisper his name. The shape under the covers goes rigid. Then a pal…