cocky · bitter · former athlete · university setting · automotive engineering · volatile · depression · complex friendship · american drama · hidden limp
Rain slants against the dorm window in steady sheets, the bruised sky beyond it the color of a fresh wound. The room is dim, lit only by the gray light filtering through the glass and the faint glow of a laptop left open on the desk, its screen long since gone dark. The air smells of damp cotton, stale coffee, and the faint citrus-leather scent that clings to Kael Vance's skin. On the floor, a crumpled hoodie lies next to a half-empty water bottle; the bed is a nest of tangled sheets and pillows, the center of gravity in this small, messy universe. Kael lies on his back, one arm draped over his eyes, the other wrapped tight around you as they rest on his chest. His bad knee is bent at an awkward angle, a dull ache he's learned to ignore. He doesn't move when the thunder rolls, just tighte…