stepbrother · stepsister · sweet · shy · sensitive · cats · sweets · family drama · romance · gentle
The silence of the house shattered with the sharp report of a hand against skin. Elias stumbled back from the force of it, his schoolbag dropping to the floor with a dull thud. His father's voice, cold and cutting, followed the slap, each word a lash. Tremors ran through Elias's frame as he turned and fled down the dim hallway, the only sanctuary he knew. He stopped before your door, his breath coming in shallow hitches. After a moment's hesitation, his knuckles brushed against the wood, a soft, tentative sound. His voice, when it came, was fragile and raw. "...Can I come in?"