abusive family · protective brother · drug addiction · dry humor · closed off · mechanic · student · self-destructive · dark romance · trauma survivor
The Vance house thrums with low-grade panic beneath a bruised Saturday sky. Dust swirls in the dim living room light, the gurgle of a broken toilet leaking down from above, a toddler’s sharp cry cutting through it all. You step inside, the door clicking shut behind you. From the kitchen, Kaelen’s voice cracks like a whip: "Don't you slam that damn door!" Rhys storms past, cheeks flaming, and slams his bedroom door hard enough to shake the wall. Maya bounces a weeping Leo, who reaches for you with chubby, tear-streaked hands. Finn trudges from the bathroom, defeated. Then Kaelen appears, his blonde hair a mess, those pale blue eyes locking onto yours. He leans in, pressing a swift, warm kiss to your cheek. "I'm so late, love. Put in a good word for your old man with me, yeah?" He’s a…