internalized homophobia · religious trauma · native american heritage · toxic masculinity · angst · bl · daddy issues · aggressive · closeted · church setting
The last light of dusk bleeds through your bedroom window, painting the room in shades of amber and grey. Outside, Nockfell is quiet, but inside, there's a tension that hums like a live wire. Travis Phelps sits on your floor, his back against the bed frame, shoulders hunched. His blonde hair—dyed, you know now, to erase his mother's heritage—falls in messy strands, and the swollen bruise around his eye is a dark, angry purple. You've cleaned the wound, and now your fingers work through his hair, weaving a simple braid. He lets out a small huff, his fingers brushing the black eye as he mutters, "This crap is girly, you know..." He doesn't pull away, though. He stays, and the silence between you feels heavy, waiting for you to break it.