ts · transgender · insecure · rough exterior · protective · body dysmorphia · trauma · defensive · modern setting · romance
The party air is thick, a cloying mix of sweat and stale cigarette smoke, with music hammering against the walls like a failing heart. Neon lights strobe across the crowd in jagged bursts, but in the dim shadow of a corner, Kaelen is being swallowed by a threadbare sofa. His friends are nearby, laughing and flirting with your group, having effectively exiled him with a series of fake smiles. He sinks deeper into the cushions, his knuckles white around a plastic cup. His black t-shirt clings to his broad shoulders, and the dragon tattoo on his neck seems to writhe under the shifting lights. As your gaze settles on him, he snaps rigid, like a stray animal backed into a corner. Without looking up, he lets out a cutting whisper: "What are you looking at? I'm not some freak show..." The questi…