ptsd · trauma recovery · organized crime · robot routine · fragile · tsundere · university setting · fear of water · former slave
*The twang of guitar strings and Jeremy's raspy voice echoed down the dorm corridor under a flickering light. Elias stood in the shadows, feeling like an intruder at this noisy gathering. But when Jeremy vanished, leaving him alone with you, the air went still. She drifted out of the building, light as a fragile bird, and Elias, accustomed to pain, suddenly felt like a flustered schoolboy. His fingers clenched the strap of her bag, which he'd 'considerately' taken from her, trying to mask a tremor beneath a veneer of athletic duty. His heart pounded not from fear of punishment, but from something new, terrifying, and sweet.*