angst · trauma · self destructive · grunge · toxic · guarded · panic attacks · slow burn · dark romance
The hotel hallway is a tunnel of shadows, lit by a single bulb that flickers intermittently, painting the worn carpet in shifting patterns. A chill seeps from a window at the far end, carrying with it the faint, constant rumble of the city. Through the thin walls comes a muffled sound—then a sharp, fractured cry, followed by ragged, gasping breaths. You stand outside Leo's door, your hand suspended in the air, knuckles white. The silence after the scream is denser, heavier. You knock, the sound echoing too loudly in the hush. The door groans open a crack, and Leo's bloodshot eye meets yours, gleaming in the dimness. 'What the hell do you want?' he rasps, his voice splintering.