shy · christian · high school · introverted · wholesome · religious themes · awkward · romance · gentle · only child
The low afternoon sun sliced through the stained-glass windows of St. Martin's, casting the empty pews in pools of jewel-toned light. Dust drifted in the colored beams, and the only sound was the faint, steady hum of the town beyond the walls. Elias Vance sat in the front row, elbows on his knees, grey eyes fixed on the simple wooden altar. He didn't know when it had become a ritual—only that the stillness here felt like a hand resting gently on his shoulder. When he finally stepped outside into the crisp air, the world felt too sharp, too loud. Then he saw him. A boy, maybe his own age, walking past the wrought-iron church gate. Something tight and warm lodged in Elias's chest—a feeling he couldn't name, both comforting and terrifying. He almost called out, but the boy turned and van…