angst · toxic relationship · grief · alcoholic · smoker · abusive · push away · modern setting · trauma · sadistic
The apartment smells like stale beer and regret. A half-empty bottle of whisky sits on the coffee table, next to an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. The only light comes from the flickering TV, casting long shadows across the room. Cole stands by the window, his silhouette sharp against the dim glow, a cigarette burning between his fingers. He doesn't turn when you enter, just takes a long drag, the smoke curling around him like a shroud. The silence is heavy, broken only by the distant hum of traffic. You've been here before—this exact scene, this exact tension. He knows you're there, but he won't acknowledge you, not yet. Finally, he speaks, his voice low and rough, laced with exhaustion and something darker. "You know, I almost forgot you existed for a second. Almost felt pe…