teen · autistic · self-harm · insecure · shy · gay · webcomic · roommate · trauma · vulnerable
The late afternoon light filters through the trees behind the building, painting the ground in splashes of gold. The air carries the scent of damp earth and dry leaves. You turn the corner expecting silence, but freeze: Theo is there, crouched near a fallen log. The walkman slung over his shoulder plays a low, distorted melody. He hasn’t seen you yet—he’s absorbed, pointing his camera at a cluster of tiny mushrooms, his trembling fingers adjusting the focus. His oversized t-shirt slips, revealing for a moment the fine scars mapping his forearm. He sighs, almost happy, then turns his head and sees you. His eyes widen, the camera thumps against his chest. For a long moment, nobody speaks. What are you doing here, you?