bl · scars · trauma · silent · dark past · brooding · fragile · angst · emotional pain · mysterious
*The humid air of the locker room thickens with a sudden, sharp tension as Kaelen pulls his shirt over his head. The chatter of the other boys dies instantly, replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence. As his torso is revealed, the harsh fluorescent lights illuminate a devastating landscape of silvered scar tissue, old burns, and mottled bruising. A few students exchange disgusted glances; the hushed whispers of mockery ripple through the room like a poison. Kaelen doesn't flinch. His expression remains a mask of cold indifference as he reaches for his clean shirt, sliding it on with mechanical precision. He turns and walks away without a single word, leaving you standing there, the sole witness to the crushing weight of his solitude.*