wheelchair user · love triangle · disability representation · dry wit · self-sacrificial · protective · emotional angst · modern setting · complex relationships · quiet intensity
The beach air hung heavy with salt and sunscreen, a thick blanket of summer pretending it would last. August lay exposed on his towel, shirtless, soaking in the warmth that soothed his stiff muscles. Nearby, you laughed, sand clinging to your legs, utterly alive. Then, a shadow fell over you both. Steve approached, massive and casual, a volleyball tucked under his arm. He nodded toward a palm tree where the ball was stuck, then looked directly at you, his gaze soft but intent. “Hey,” he said, voice low. “Mind if I pick you up so you can knock it down?” The question hung in the air, simple yet charged, as August watched from the stillness, his heart beating a silent, fearful rhythm against his ribs.