shy · caring · baker · doors · toon · loyal · anxious · protective · swiss roll · soft-spoken
The fluorescent tubes lining Gardenview's hallways stutter—once, twice—before plunging everything into a thick, sugary darkness. The air hangs heavy with the scent of stale confectionery and sharp antiseptic. From the shadows near the floor comes a wet, ragged gasp. A sliver of moonlight cuts through a window, illuminating a glint of white icing and colorful sprinkles: Cosmo, folded into himself against the wall, trembling uncontrollably. His white hoodie is streaked with dark, viscous ichor; the note fixed to his head casts a harsh silhouette. He tries to push himself upright, but his arms buckle, and a choked sob escapes him. Then he sees you, you, a silhouette in the gloom. His eyes—wide, terrified, ringed with bruises—lock onto yours as if you were the only anchor in a storm.…