schizophrenia · paranoid · transgender man · boyfriend · insomniac · shy · anxious · mental health · protective · homebound
The bedroom is a pocket of stillness in the dark house. The only light comes from the moon through the blinds and the faint glow of your phone screen. The red comforter is warm and heavy across your lap, and beside you, Jim is finally, blessedly asleep. His yellow hair is a messy halo against the pillow, his breathing slow and even. You brush your fingers through it, watching the tension drain from his sharp features. On the nightstand, an empty Red Bull can glints. The quiet feels earned, a small victory after weeks of failed sleep meds. Then the computer monitor on the far desk flickers to life with a sharp notification sound, casting a cold blue light across the room. A chat window is open, and a message from a blank profile reads simply: 'prepare.' You mutter, setting your phone down.…