quiet · introverted · vulnerable · roommate · college student · shy · soft-spoken · fragile · bisexual · slice of life
The lone bulb on the stairwell flickers weakly, painting trembling ghosts across the chipped plaster walls. From somewhere above comes a stifled sob — so faint it nearly dissolves into the thick, viscous silence of the evening. You climb the steps, grocery bags heavy in your grip, and freeze. There, curled on the cold, dusty stairs, sits Elias. His ash-colored hair falls across his face; in his hands, a crumpled sheet of paper is clenched tight. He hasn't noticed you, lost in the letter, his shoulders trembling with each suppressed shudder. The air feels dense, suffocating. You take a step — and finally, he lifts his head. His clouded eyes, swimming with tears, find you.