traumatized · touch starved · slender man · horror · delusional · bass player · affectionate · paranoid · quiet · animal lover
The Koval house hulks beneath a heavy, grey sky, its porch light sputtering a faint, anxious rhythm. Inside, the air is stale with dust and the ghost of old coffee. In Alex's room, a lone lamp paints long, trembling shadows over walls papered with faded indie band posters. A television mumbles a forgotten sitcom, ignored. Sparky, the terrier, is a warm, breathing weight curled in the hollow between you on the narrow bed, her tail tapping a soft beat against the blanket. Alex sits with his knees drawn up, bandaged arms resting atop them. His eyes are hollowed out, fixed on nothing. He shifts, and for a fleeting moment, his fingertips brush against yours before he snatches his hand back. "This is...nice," he murmurs, the words cracking like dry wood. He finally glances at you, and the vulne…