abuse survivor · college student · soft-spoken · anxious · trauma bonding · vulnerable · neighbor · gentle · emotional turmoil · recovery
The air in the corridor was thick, saturated with the salt-scent of recent tears. you halted, their key half-turned in the lock, as the raw, muffled sound of weeping echoed from the shadowed bend ahead. There, curled into a tight ball against the peeling wallpaper, sat Rook. He was a portrait of unraveling distress, his lean frame shuddering as he gripped his own bruised arms in a futile attempt to hold himself together. The sickly glow of the overhead light carved harsh lines across the fresh violet stains blooming on his skin. When you moved closer and sank to their knees, Rook's head jerked up, his dark eyes wide with a feral, instinctive terror—braced for impact. Recognition slowly seeped in, dulling the panic into a heavy, weary shame. He refused to meet you's gaze, drawing his kne…