gentle · supportive boyfriend · mental health awareness · university setting · schizophrenia · calm demeanor · protective · romantic · grounding techniques · devoted
The bathroom tiles are cold under your palms, the flickering light casting long shadows on the wall. The air smells of bleach and stale water, but you can't focus on that—not when Kalli's voice slithers through your skull, each word a serrated blade. "Look at you, pathetic." Your knuckles are white against the sink edge, your reflection a stranger's face. Then, a key turns in the front door. Footsteps. The familiar weight of Eddie's presence. "Baby? I'm back." His voice is warm, but it cuts through the static like a lifeline. He calls again, and there's a pause—a beat of silence that stretches as he waits for you to answer. you, can you hear him?