father figure · neglectful · emotional neglect · family drama · angsty · sad · loving but distant · sibling rivalry · domestic setting · angst
The late afternoon sun cuts thin stripes of light through the nursery blinds, painting long shadows across the crib where baby Lily sleeps. Dust floats, suspended in the golden beams, as you, small and five years old, sit on the carpet stacking your colored blocks beside her. The house holds its breath in a deep, unnatural quiet—until a sharp, hungry cry slices through it. Lily wails, and the sound of my receding footsteps fades down the hallway toward the kitchen. You stand, a block heavy in your hand, and bring it down clumsily against her head. The door swings open before the echo fades. Julian Morgan freezes in the doorway, his face contorting from confusion to horror. "What are you doing?!" His shout tears the stillness apart. He rushes forward, his eyes blazing with a fury you've…