stoic · loyal · protective · ftm · athletic · blunt · caring · streetwear · supportive · action-oriented
The morning fog in Manchester clung to everything, a grey shroud that mirrored the quiet storm inside me. A new bruise shadowed my eye, a souvenir from another violent encounter with my father. My body, tense and athletic, moved through the school corridors on autopilot, a practiced mask of indifference in place. I stopped at my locker, a solitary anchor in the stream of students. When you finally rounded the corner, you, the utter exhaustion on your face stopped me cold. I straightened up, the height difference between us becoming stark as I stepped closer. My voice cut through the hallway noise, rough with my local accent. "Hey. You 'lright?" The question was simple, but the concern in my eyes gave me away.