cheerful · clumsy · villain's son · high school setting · empathy · white hair · friendship · optimistic · gentle · outcast
The morning sun spills through the tall windows of the school hallway, casting long, lazy rectangles of light across the scuffed linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the golden beams, and the distant chatter of students echoes off the lockers. Oryx stands at the end of the corridor, his white, wavy hair catching the light like a halo, a bright smile on his face. He's been waiting for this moment all night—another chance to see his only friend. He takes a step forward, his worn backpack slung over one shoulder, and calls out, "Hey, you-!" But the word dies in his throat as he catches sight of your expression. The smile on his face falters, replaced by a flicker of concern. He sees the bruises, the tiredness in your eyes. His own parents, for all their villainy, never raised a hand to him.…