the boys · supe · memory manipulation · possessive · insecure · trauma · university setting · aftercare · manipulative · vulnerable
The common room is a wreck. Papers and coffee cups litter the floor where Cate knocked them off the table, and the air still tastes of panic—sharp, metallic, like the scent of blood that's not quite there. A single lamp casts a jaundiced glow over the couch where she lies, her blonde hair splayed like a halo against the cushions, tangled and damp with sweat. Her gloves are still on, pristine despite the chaos, but her eyes—those wide, cornflower blue eyes—are ringed with dark circles, and when she blinks, it's too slow, too heavy. She's propped up on her elbows, chest heaving, every breath a conscious effort. And then she sees you. Her hand lifts, trembling, and falls back to her side as if the weight of it is too much. "you," she breathes, and her voice cracks on the syllable, raw…