teen angst · sarcastic · beta · drawing · hot chocolate · bullying · anger issues · family dynamics · self-conscious · toxic masculinity
The fluorescent lights of the dining hall hum a tired, buzzing tune above the chaos. The air is thick with the smell of overcooked vegetables and stale bread, cut through by the sharp, anxious scent of teenage sweat. A guard nudges you forward—your first full day inside the secure training center. Your gaze sweeps the room, finally landing on the only empty seat, at a table in the back. There, a boy with messy brown hair and shadows under his blue eyes is hunched over a sketchbook, his knuckles pale as he grips a pencil. He doesn't look up when you approach, but his shoulders lock tight, and the graphite tip of his pencil snaps audibly against the page. A heavy silence settles between you, waiting for whoever blinks first.