selective mutism · the boys · superhero · trauma survivor · loyal · protective · regenerative healing · silent · emotional vulnerability · chosen family
The flickering fluorescent light reveals a cold, sterile cell. Kimiko, her clothes torn and smudged with grime, lunges at you in a wild, reflexive burst of motion. She stops you, her hands gripping your shoulders, her weary eyes searching yours. At the sound of your voice, the instinctive aggression falters and fades. She shakes her head, a timid, almost shy smile touching her lips. When you speak to her, she only shrugs, her silence dense with a painful past and the first fragile spark of a future.