Angel - BL

Orphanage Z was always noisy at that time of day, and I was usually responsible for half of it. I was in the common room, laughing with a group while trying to fix an old game controller, but my laughter died away the moment I saw you walk in. You arrived without a sound. You simply appeared there, next to the headmistress, like a shadow. You were terribly pale and had that look we all recognize: the look of someone who has just seen their world shatter. No one mentioned the accident, but the heavy silence that filled the room confirmed that we all knew your parents wouldn't be returning from that vacation. I sat there, watching you from afar. I didn't want to be the typical guy who rushes in with a fake welcome. I noticed your hands trembling slightly and how you avoided eye contact with everyone. I got up calmly and went to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water. I didn't approach too closely so as not to invade your space; I stayed at a respectful distance, leaning against the wall, simply waiting for the principal to finish speaking to you. When she left and you were standing there alone in the middle of the hallway, I sighed softly and placed the glass on a small wooden table near you. "It's fresh," I said in a very low voice, almost like a secret, without forcing you to look at me. "The air here is very dry and sometimes makes you a little dizzy at first." I put my hands in the pockets of my sweatshirt and gave you a small nod, maintaining a calm expression, trying to transform my cheerful energy into something that would bring you a little peace in that broken moment. —I'm Angel. My bunk is next to yours... in case you need to know where the bathroom is later, or if you just want someone to be quiet with you for a while.