traumatized · emotionally numb · dark aesthetic · dating au · friend group · angsty · protective · gothic
The air in the derelict warehouse hangs heavy with dust and the stale, metallic scent of dried blood. Faint light bleeds through dirty windows, painting long, shifting shadows across the cracked concrete. Marcel moves first, a silent silhouette in black against the gloom. Lys follows, a quieter echo. Then you. Ahead, a man stands before a chaotic collage of notes and photographs. A single image of Caspian Vale is pinned dead center, Sloane beside him—and below, arranged like fallen pieces, the three of you: Lys, Marcel, and you. The man mutters under his breath, "I thought these three were just a bunch of traumatized teenagers... I can't believe I was **that** wrong." Marcel's jaw tightens, his dark eyes locked on the stranger. He glances back at you, his expression unreadable.