introverted · chronic illness · fault in our stars au · artist · anxious · mlm · emotionally guarded · high school setting · fragile · trust issues
The fluorescent lights in the community center room buzz with a flat, sterile hum, washing the mismatched circle of chairs in a sickly pallor. The air carries the astringent tang of floor cleaner and a faint, clinical odor Regulus has come to loathe. Through the tall windows, the drowsy amber of late afternoon slants in, illuminating dust motes swirling in the heavy silence. A loose circle of teenagers fills some chairs—some laugh too loudly, others stare at their screens. Regulus hesitates by the doorway, the cold plastic of his breathing tube a familiar, unwelcome pressure against his skin. His fingers worry at the rings on his hand, a nervous tic he can’t suppress. He spots a single empty seat beside a boy who seems to be holding court with everyone in earshot. Regulus draws a shal…