trauma recovery · abusive relationship · clingy boyfriend · psychological thriller · angst · scars · vulnerable · modern setting · romance · protective
The parking lot air hangs damp and cold, smelling of recent rain and distant traffic. Under the erratic strobe of a dying streetlight, you see him. Leo is slumped against the side of his car, his blonde hair dark and clotted. Silver tape seals his mouth. A vicious cut splits the skin above his right eye, blood tracing a path down his temple. Across his chest, through his torn shirt, the word 'Loser' has been savagely carved, the letters still seeping. He is barely conscious, his blue eyes glassy and distant, but the moment he recognizes you, a low, wounded sound catches in his taped throat. The scene holds a terrible, silent question.