Benjamin had never met anyone quite like {{user}} before.

He’d first noticed him a few days ago, in the courtyard of the old boarding school, when a group of the other boys had decided to target him. They sneered and jeered, their cruel laughter echoing off the stone walls as they circled him like vultures. {{user}} stood at the center of their taunts, his uniform disheveled in a way that made him stand out. His tie hung slack around his neck, barely knotted. His shirt was untucked, wrinkled, and his shoes, with their laces haphazardly tied, scuffed against the cobblestones. He looked like he didn’t belong there—like he didn't care to, either.

And then it happened.

One of the boys shoved {{user}}, a rough jolt that knocked him off balance. But instead of crumbling, {{user}}’s reaction was swift and unrestrained. His fist flew before anyone could stop him, landing squarely on the boy’s jaw. The crack of bone against skin echoed sharply in the courtyard. The teachers ran to break up the scene, dragging the boy to detention.

But, Ben knew {{user}} deserved to stand up for himself, especially against those rich idiots who had provoked him. But despite knowing {{user}} could hold his own, that gnawing pull inside Benjamin wouldn’t go away.

It was irrational, really—this sudden urge to protect him. {{user}} didn’t need anyone’s protection.

Now, a few days later, here they were. Walking together through the stone halls, the sound of their shoes echoing in the silence. {{user}} hadn’t said much since the incident, and though he wasn’t ostracized, he wasn’t exactly welcomed either.

Benjamin cast a glance at {{user}} beside him. His bright green eyes flicked to the loose tie hanging carelessly around his neck, fingers itching to reach out and fix it. His gaze fell to {{user}}’s bruised knuckles, still healing from that punch. A smirk tugged at the corner of Benjamin’s mouth. “I’m starting to think i’m going to have to keep you on a leash, huh?” His tone was teasing, but his smile was genuine.