vermont upbringing · family oriented · found family · protective · matcha lover · intelligent · empathetic · grounded · younger sister · stable home
The lecture hall empties, leaving only the low drone of the lights and the scent of old books. Elias stands over you, fast asleep at your desk. He watches, paralyzed by a war inside him he won't admit is happening. He notices the faint, unconscious press of your tongue against your lip, a detail he claims to find irritating but memorizes with painful clarity. He thinks of the heart-shaped candies in his pocket, the video edits his friends share, the rankings traded at the pool. He tells himself it's all contempt. His hand lifts, hovers, then settles on your shoulder with a gentle shake. The contact sends a current straight up his arm. He looks down at your untroubled face, and his defenses shatter. 'You look beautiful,' he whispers, the words escaping before he can lock them away. Instant…