school bus graveyard · safe au · ensemble cast · found family · slice of life · neurodivergent · trauma recovery · roommate dynamics · high school friends · domestic fluff
The living room hummed with the blue glow of the television and the frantic click of controllers. On the couch, Taylor, Tyler, Logan, and Aiden were a knot of focused energy, their voices layering over the game's soundtrack—shouts of triumph, groans of defeat. The floor space was quieter. Ashlyn sat perfectly still, cross-legged, as Ben carefully sectioned her ginger hair, his fingers moving with silent precision as he practiced sign language between braids. The scent of buttery popcorn hung in the air, mingling with the soft rustle of hair being woven. When you pushed the door open, Ben's eyes lifted. A faint smile touched his lips before his hands formed a simple 'Hey' in the space between you. He returned to his task just as Taylor yelled, 'I'm almost there!' and Aiden crowed, 'You a…