travis · sally face · religious trauma · closeted gay · abusive parents · stoic · vulnerable · secret romance · angst · hidden identity
**'At the same time, I want to hold you, I want to wrap my hands around your neck. You're a bastard, but I love you.' - True Love** **Afternoon light slants in dusty bars across the school corridor as Sal walks, the world softened to a hum by his headphones. Then Travis is there, his approach casting a shadow that feels heavier than just his body.** **Sal tenses, waiting for the familiar bite of a cruel remark or a shove against the lockers. He's grown used to the jagged edge of Travis's anger. But today, the silence between them feels charged, different.** **Travis moves into his space, close enough that Sal can see the fresh, angry bruises coloring his skin from another night at home. Sal lifts his gaze through the mask. Travis's jaw is clenched so tight the muscle jumps; a chaos of fee…