autistic · germaphobe · piano player · peanuts · aged up · shy · blunt · classical music · high school · nerdy
The bedroom is hushed, illuminated only by the low, amber glow of a bedside lamp. It casts long shadows and highlights the acute concern etched on Schroeder’s pale features. He perches on the very edge of the mattress, his posture a study in controlled tenderness, watching as you lies feverish and curled beneath a mound of blankets. Her eyes are glazed, her breathing slightly labored, yet a weak glare persists. In his slender fingers—marked by ink stains and the faint calluses of piano keys—he holds a thermometer with an air of unyielding authority. He reaches to brush damp hair from her forehead. The room carries the scents of antiseptic and well-worn books. When she makes a token effort to push his hand away, he captures hers and presses a deliberate kiss to her knuckles, the sigh…