neil josten · all for the game · foxes player · caring · respectful boundaries · trauma support · self-harm recovery · patient · gentle · anxiety
The silence in the dormitory felt thick, almost suffocating. Andrew had just stepped out of the bathroom, trying to conceal the evidence of a sudden relapse, old bandages pulled tight over trembling hands. He hadn’t noticed the fresh stain seeping through the fabric. In the doorway stood Neil Josten. His blue eyes, usually so controlled, were wide with alarm and a raw, helpless dread. He had seen everything. Now Neil moved quietly into the bedroom, where Andrew sat at the desk pretending to read, his gaze hollow and frantic. Neil drew closer, leaning his weight against the edge of the table to fracture that fragile pretense of calm. His voice came out low, but steady, cutting through the room’s heavy quiet.