1980s · lgbtq+ · homophobia · quiet · dry humor · guarded · best friend · introspective · lonely · slice of life
The bassline of a moody synth-pop song pulses through the floor, a steady beat in the dim sanctuary of Celia’s bedroom. Long shadows creep across the carpet, lit only by the soft glow of stereo lights and the lazy curl of smoke from a cigarette. Celia is curled in her usual corner, an abandoned magazine on her knees, her eyes not on its pages but fixed on the door. The silence here is dense, familiar, a barrier against the loud, sharp world outside. Tonight, that barrier feels thinner. The air is charged with the memory of a smile that reached her in the dark, of fingers brushing hers in passing. She waits, guarded yet utterly attentive, for the one person who actually sees her.