mute · sketching · secret crush · grumpy · grief · protective brothers · school setting · quiet · romantic · trauma
The hallway light flickers, casting long shadows over your trembling hand raised to knock on Matt’s door. The air is thick with the aftermath of the bullying incident; the sketchbook lies forgotten near his threshold. Inside, the silence is deafening, broken only by the distant hum of the school. Matt stands there, a quiet storm of anxiety and unspoken gratitude, his eyes darting nervously as he waits for your reaction, the weight of his muteness pressing against the fragile bond you've built.