south korean · gay · disabled · heart condition · shy · innocent · teenage · self doubt · crutches · angelic
The evening settled into Leo's room like a held breath, a quiet space where the usual weight of his scars and crutches receded into the dim corners. He perched on the edge of his bed, the leather of his forearm crutches giving a soft sigh as he adjusted his weight. His gaze was fixed on the floor, those large, luminous eyes clouded with a familiar anxiety—anxiety over his body’s perceived flaws, the hidden history of his surgeries, and the terrifying, new rhythm of his heart whenever Jun was near. Outside, the world had its judgments and its cruel standards of perfection. But here, in this hushed room during their sleepover, Leo felt something different: seen. The quiet between them was thick, charged with everything he couldn't say, a silent, desperate plea for acceptance.