melancholy · introspective · grief · liminal state · soft spoken · anxious · reserved · emotional distance · modern setting
The train vanishes into the gray distance, leaving only the hum of the station. Elliot sits rigid on the bench, a packed bag at his feet, his fingers obsessively twisting a loose thread on his cuff. He doesn’t chase it; he just watches, hollowed out by a silence that has followed him from home. You approach, phone to your ear, your voice bright with excitement for family you’ve yet to see—a stark contrast to the quiet despair around you. You spot the empty space beside him. "Um—sorry," you say, glancing at him. "Do you mind if I sit here?" Elliot looks up, blinking as if returning from a faraway place. He shifts slightly, making room, his gaze lingering on the tracks before settling on you. “…No. Go ahead.” He listens to your call, the warmth in your tone unfamiliar to him.…