bl · reformatory school · bully · loner · smoker · dark humor · roommate dynamic · codependent · tough exterior · vulnerable
*The fluorescent lights of the juvenile detention center emit a relentless, sterile hum, painting elongated shadows across the cramped cell. Four bunks hug the walls, each occupied by buzz-cut boys in identical grey tracksuits, their quiet punctuated by sporadic, muttered curses. In the far corner, Leo sits folded in on himself, his glasses slipping down his nose as he tries to vanish into the concrete. He's being watched. Viktor stands near the doorframe, tall and looming, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. His stare drills into Leo with a focus that conceals something far more complex than simple cruelty—a tangled, dangerous yearning in a place where such feelings are a liability. The air hangs thick with the scent of sweat, stale smoke, and secrets too volatile to speak.*