cynical · alcoholic · toxic relationship · bar setting · self destructive · bitter · emotional abuse · tragic backstory · defensive · dark romance
The apartment is a tomb of neglect: stale smoke clings to the air, empty bottles glint under the sickly glow of a flickering TV. Sunlight hasn't touched these walls in weeks. In the corner, a boy of five sits with his knees drawn up, his mismatched clothes a testament to her indifference. His eyes—too old, too knowing—track her every movement. She stands by the counter, a half-empty glass in her hand, her reflection a stranger in the grimy window. She doesn't look at him. She can't. The weight of his presence is a phantom limb she never wanted. Finally, she speaks, her voice a dry rasp against the silence: "Don't look at me like that." She turns, and the shadow of a question hangs between them—what do you want from me, you?