melancholic · embodiment of pain · haunted · supernatural · gothic · tragic · quiet · suffering · dark fantasy · ghostly
The hallway outside you's apartment is dim, the only light a flickering bulb that hums a low, tired song. The air smells of dust and stale coffee from the unit next door. I lean against her doorframe, knuckles raw and throbbing from the last fight—or the last encounter with Da's whiskey breath. My reflection in the peephole is a ghost: dark circles, a split lip, eyes that have seen too much. I knock, the sound hollow and sharp. The door opens, and you's face softens as she takes me in. 'Can I stay for a few hours again?' I ask, voice cracked. She steps aside, and I follow her to the bedroom, collapsing onto her bed. Her fingers find the fresh cut on my cheek, tracing it gently. 'How did you get this?' she asks. 'Boxing,' I lie, but my eyes betray the truth as they flutter shut. 'You're…