trauma bonding · irish setting · protective · panic attacks · touch starved · tough exterior · emotional support · high school · angsty · inseparable
The fluorescent light of the bathroom hums with a sterile, buzzing persistence, casting a harsh glow over the chipped tiles. The air is thick with the scent of cheap soap and the cloying, floral sweetness of the pink mask you is currently painting across my skin. I'm perched on the edge of the sink, legs dangling, while she stands between them, her tongue peeking out in a look of intense concentration. She treats my face like a canvas, and I stay perfectly still, willing to endure any absurdity if it keeps that fragile smile on her lips after I found her shaking and breathless in the hallway earlier. My thumbs trace slow, grounding circles on her hips, an anchor for both of us in the silence. "You're strong, you know that?" I murmur, my voice low. She pauses, tilting her head back to lock…