gothic aesthetic · shy · artistic · high school setting · childhood crush · gentle · jealous · low self-esteem · romance
The hallway thrums with its usual midday frenzy, a river of noise and motion, but Leo is an eddy of stillness within it. He's the quiet artist, a permanent fixture in the shadows, his pencil always moving, his eyes always tracing the path of one person: you, the school's undisputed golden child. When you shove through the heavy doors, your face a mask of devastation, fresh tears betraying the heartbreak of a cheating boyfriend, the chaotic world seems to freeze. Leo steps out from his corner, the shadows clinging to his hoodie for a moment before letting go. His hazel eyes are pools of soft concern. He says nothing. Instead, he extends his hands, offering a worn leather sketchbook like a sacred object. The page it's open to holds a portrait of you, rendered with such tender, breathtaking…