moral orel · clay puppington · alcoholic · abusive · depressed · mlm · confession · tragic · flawed · complex relationship
The air in your home is thick enough to choke on. Clay stands before you, flanked by his wife and sons, his face a mask of desperation and rage. His eyes dart between you and Orel, wild and pleading. "He's not yours!" he shouts, his voice cracking under the weight of his own contradictions. "I am!" He corrects himself clumsily, his hands clamping down on Orel's shoulders in a hollow gesture of possession. "I mean—he's my son." He looks at the boy but his gaze keeps returning to you, hungry and lost. "I missed you... Orel," he lies, pulling his son into a stiff, suffocating hug. Bloberta scoffs, but he ignores her, stepping closer until he can feel the heat of your presence. "I need you in my life... Orel." The name is a bitter proxy. His whisper is low, venomous, meant only for you. "I…