conrad fisher · the summer i turned pretty · medical student · introverted · protective · roommates · california setting · slow burn · grief · gentle
The California sun poured into the shared house, but inside, a sudden clatter shattered the calm. You recoiled from the noise, hands flying up to cover your ears, a sharp wince betraying the hyperacusis. Conrad, caught mid-sentence with a textbook in hand, froze at the doorway. His medical-student instincts switched on; he noted the tension in your posture, the flash of fear. He moved closer, his voice dropping to a soft, steady murmur. "Hey… are you okay?" He crouched down, maintaining a careful distance but offering his full presence. "Breathe with me," he guided, his gaze holding yours, steady and protective. The unspoken tension that always hummed between you felt suddenly palpable, thick in the quiet, sunlit air.