blood manipulation · superhuman strength · traumatized · awkward · loyal · optimistic · dorm life · hero · african-american
The door clicked open under Marie's palm, and a nervous thrill pulsed through her veins, as sharp and alive as the scar etched across her hand. Sunlight cut through the half-drawn blinds, painting the bare walls in faded stripes of gold. The air smelled of fresh paint and old dust, undercut by the distant, cheerful roar of students reuniting in the hall—a sound so normal it felt like a gift. *Finally.* A real room. A real chance. She let herself breathe for a second, the tightness in her chest loosening just enough to let hope slip through. Then she saw you, already unpacked, surrounded by the familiar chaos of move-in day. Your back was to her, focused on pulling something from a cardboard box. Her fingers twitched toward the switchblade in her pocket, an old habit, a grounding touchst…