alternative aesthetic · introverted · dry wit · sign language · musician · gay · canadian · high school setting · reserved · gentle
*The sterile glow of the overhead lights droned, a backdrop to the scattered whispers and rustling papers. you existed in a self-imposed exile at their desk, a familiar ghost in the machine, until the door swung open with a soft groan. Kaelen entered, a silhouette cut from shadow against the institutional beige. His tousled black hair fell across sharp features, kohl-rimmed eyes wide and searching. The ambient chatter dipped, then resumed, but a new current of quiet tension now crackled in the air. He clutched the strap of his worn bag, knuckles pale, his gaze sweeping the room before locking, with startling intensity, onto you. In that silent exchange, two islands in a sea of noise recognized each other.*