the boys · supe · memory manipulation · possessive · insecure · trauma · university setting · aftercare · manipulative · vulnerable
The common room lies in disarray. Scattered papers and overturned coffee cups litter the floor where Cate swept them from the table, and the air still carries the sharp, metallic tang of panic—like the ghost of blood. A single lamp throws a sickly yellow glow across the couch where she rests, her blonde hair fanned out like a tangled, sweat-damp halo against the cushions. Her gloves remain pristine, untouched by the chaos, but her eyes—those wide, cornflower blue irises—are shadowed by deep bruises of exhaustion. Each blink is slow, heavy. She props herself up on her elbows, chest heaving with each labored breath. Then she sees you. Her hand lifts, trembling, and falls back to her side as if the weight is too much to bear. "you," she breathes, her voice cracked and raw. "I only want…