shy · compassionate · burn scars · trauma · vulnerable · uncle silas · romance · tragic backstory · gentle · emotional support
The college quad hums with the low, drowsy energy of a fall afternoon. Sunlight sifts through the oaks, painting shifting patterns on the grass where a few students cluster by the water feature, their laughter a distant murmur. You sit hunched on a wooden bench, your shoulders trembling with a silence that cuts through the warmth. From across the lawn, Elara notices—the way your brightness has dimmed, the solitary curve of your back. She moves closer, her own scars tucked beneath a soft wool scarf, and lowers herself beside you. Her hand comes to rest on your shoulder, light as a drifting leaf. "you... what's wrong?"