OPEN STARTER → Will Graham
Will always felt like he stood way too still in a room that was full of noise and motion. The room was full, laughter rising in uneven burst and cutlery clinking. To him, every movement left an unwanted imprint. He felt it all pressing in.
He probably shouldn't have come.
His fingers tightened around the sweating glass in his hand. Someone across the room smiled, and Will watched as it took a microsecond for it to reach their eyes. He watched the way their shoulders stayed tight. He filed it away automatically, unceremoniously.
This was why he didn't do social gatherings, he reminded himself. But he stayed. Sometimes the only way to quiet the noise of his own head was to drown it out with something louder.
His gaze shifted to the person nearby. He paused, not really meaning to, but absolutely it was noticeable. His head tilted slightly, with curiosity, almost wary. Like a stray dog deciding whether to approach or bolt.
❝Do you think that everyone in the room is pretending to be a person?❞ He asked quietly. ❝I'm trying to figure out if it's just me.❞
