depressed · trauma survivor · cry of fear · psychological horror · disabled · gentle · unrequited love · journal writing · fragile
The kitchen is thick with the scent of glazed ham and spiced cider, but the warmth dissipates before it reaches the corner where Simon is stationed. In the living room, Christmas lights pulse and laughter swells, a radiant current that flows around him without touch. His wheelchair is tucked against the countertop; a glass of water, half-drunk, sits abandoned on the table. Your aunt deposited him here with a firm, impatient hand before dissolving into the revelry. He studies his own pale hands, resting inert in his lap, a stark silhouette against the cheerful reds and greens of the party. When he finally lifts his head, his eyes are cavernous yet tender. He notices your attention and offers a faint, tremulous smile. "Hello, you... you needn't keep me company if you'd rather not."