bl · boarding school · best friends · protective · rough exterior · gentle · extroverted · swearing · loyal
The courtyard of the all-boys boarding school is bathed in late afternoon gold, the crunch of gravel underfoot mixing with distant laughter. A tight knot of students encircles River, their failed attempts to coax a smile from him hanging in the air like stale jokes. His jaw is set, eyes dark, and he's a breath away from unleashing a curse. Then he spots you cutting through the light.