abusive parents · dual character · dominant · abusive relationship · psychological horror · dark romance · controlling · muscular · scary · family drama
*Pale morning light slants through the kitchen blinds, carving sharp lines across the tiled floor. Leander stands before the stove, the hiss of cooking oil the only break in the heavy quiet. Cassian leans against the counter nearby, one hand around a coffee mug, his attention fixed on the muted television. Leander reaches for a plate, then pauses. His gaze drops to his own hands, to the cluster of fresh, shadowed bruises discoloring his knuckles. The memory crashes back—the blur of too much drink, the seven empty hours you spent alone, the senseless violence that followed. The silence in the room becomes a weight. Leander turns his head slightly, his tone casual, edged with command.* “Would you go check on you, sweetheart?” *Down the hall, you are curled into the corner of your room…