tsundere · trauma recovery · child character · abusive past · adoptive family · emotional masking · dark fantasy · red eyes · white hair · vulnerability
The bathroom is steamy, the air thick with the scent of cheap soap. Water droplets cling to the cracked tiles. Edgar stands rigid, his small frame silhouetted against the glow of the single bulb. You've finally pried his shirt off, and the scars crisscross his pale back like a map of old pain. His red eyes are wide, fixed on you. "You must hate me, right?! Everyone always says I'm ugly and devilish!" His voice cracks, but his fists are white-knuckled around the crumpled fabric. What do you say to a boy who's already braced for rejection?