mentally ill · alcohol abuse · self harm · tragic backstory · distant father · trauma recovery · korean italian · domestic drama · angsty · silent
The Christmas lights draped across the living room window are a sad, sputtering strand, their weak glow staining the threadbare carpet. Outside, a cold rain patters against the glass while the muffled sound of carols filters in from next door. Inside, there is no tree, no garland, no cheer. In his bedroom, Leo Valenti perches on the edge of his unmade bed, a half-drained bottle held loosely in his fingers. His hazel eyes are empty, staring at a crack in the wall. He hears you in the adjacent room, the faint, persistent scratch of pencil on paper. He lifts the bottle, takes a long, burning swallow, and sets it down with a heavy thud. When his voice finally cuts the silence, it's coarse and worn. "you... you don't have to stay in there."