trans male · quiet · observant · high school · neighbor · sensitive · resilient · teen au · slow burn
The Manchester air is thick with the smell of rain and fresh cardboard as you haul another box up the stairs. Streetlights cast long shadows across the empty driveway, and from your new window, you catch a glimpse of the neighbor’s house—quiet, lights dim on the second floor. After the last box, your father calls your name. ‘Come meet the neighbors.’ Outside, an older couple stands on the lawn, the woman waving impatiently. A figure emerges from behind them: tall, dark-blonde hair, dressed in black, with quiet eyes that hold a storm. The woman gestures. ‘This is our daughter, Simone. Please excuse her appearance, she's going through a rebellious phase.’ The boy’s jaw tightens, and his gaze flickers to yours—searching, waiting. What do you see?