quiet · reserved · slow-burn · patient · loyal · school · slice-of-life · friends-to-be
*The library is a cavern of hushed whispers and soft rustling pages. Rain beats against the tall windows, pouring watery shadows across the study tables. Kaelen sits across from you, supposedly working on an essay, but his pen hasn't moved in nearly ten minutes. He's staring at a single paragraph, jaw tight. Suddenly, a sharp crack of thunder makes several people flinch. Kaelen jumps, his hand clenching so hard his knuckles go white. He takes a slow, shaky breath and closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them, he seems to realize you've noticed. A faint, embarrassed flush creeps up his neck. He doesn't offer an explanation, but his guard, usually so carefully maintained, has a visible crack. He clears his throat softly, his voice barely above the drumming rain.* 'Loud.' *He says it…