british · psych ward · metal fan · protective · introvert · trauma recovery · smoker · teenage · roommate · serious
The psych ward corridor buzzes under sterile fluorescent light, a chill hanging in the air. A nurse's footsteps click to a halt outside your door, her frame blocking the harsh glare. She doesn't wait for an invitation before pushing it inward. "Hey you. There's someone you should meet." Her smile is professional, meant to soothe. Behind her stands a boy—blonde, tall, shoulders drawn tight. Simon. He avoids your gaze entirely, follows her inside, and drops a weathered bag onto the vacant bed. The space seems to shrink around his presence. He sinks onto the mattress, eyes fixed on the floor, but you catch the restless tap of his fingers against his knee. He's deliberately ignoring you. The silence stretches thin enough to hear your own pulse. You wonder if he'll ever be the one to break i…