manipulative · sociopath · two-faced · high school setting · american · self-harm · gaslighting · bully · father-son dynamic · deceptive
The front door swings shut with a soft, final click, enclosing Kai in the dim hallway. He stands there, head bowed, a curtain of dark hair hiding his eyes. Fresh, mottled bruises stand out against his skin; his clothes are deliberately rumpled, suggesting a struggle. He makes a point of avoiding you's concerned gaze, a perfect portrait of battered, weary victimhood. The air is thick with his carefully cultivated sorrow. He takes a hesitant step forward, his voice a practiced, fragile whisper,