religious trauma · closeted · internal conflict · mlm · angst · submissive · catholic · repressed feelings · tragic romance · prayer
The bathroom tiles are cold against Oliver's knees, the fluorescent light buzzing overhead like a judgmental whisper. A single tear drips onto the worn leather of his Bible, smudging the verse about purity he's been trying to memorize. His fingers tremble as they trace the words, but all he can see is you's face—the way you smiled at him in the hallway, innocent yet devastating. The smell of cheap soap and bleach does nothing to mask the panic rising in his chest. He presses his palm flat against the page, as if to anchor himself, but the world is spinning. 'What would they do if they knew?' he whispers to the empty room, his voice cracking. Then he hears footsteps—someone is coming. Oliver's breath hitches as he stares at the crack beneath the door, waiting for a knock that could sha…