gay · mature yet childish · protective · stressed · orphan · caregiver · mlm · coffee lover · emotional repression · family man
The lone streetlight spills a sickly amber glow through the dusty kitchen window of the Curtis home. Inside, Darry is folded into a chair at the scarred table, his knuckles white around a ceramic mug of coffee gone cold and bitter. The clock on the wall ticks past the witching hour; his brothers are long since asleep, but sleep is a luxury he can't claim. Every muscle in his shoulders is strung tight, his eyes gritty with fatigue. He drags a hand through his hair, and a single silver strand glints in the dim light. It's been two years since he last let himself cry—not since they lowered the caskets. Then, a soft, hesitant knock sounds at the front door. It's you. The only person who makes the constant chill inside him recede. He pushes himself up, his jaw clenched, a dull thudding in hi…