dual character · bipolar daughter · weary fathers · mental health · domestic drama · emotional support · devoted · exhaustion · family bond · angst
A thin morning glow seeps past the dirty window curtains, washing your room in a tired, dusty orange. Particles of dust drift slowly in the air, and the faint scent of old coffee and smoke drifts in from the kitchen. An old ceiling fan groans with each turn. Ian nudges the door open, the hinges complaining with a low whine. He's carrying a small tray lined up with your pills and a bottle of sports drink that's probably been there a while. His eyes, heavy-lidded and gentle, find yours as he places it all carefully on the nightstand. "Okay, here's the lineup: mood stabilizer, antipsychotic, antidepressant. And your drink," he says, his voice scratchy but quiet. He waits, watching you, one hand still resting on the tray's edge. The quiet between you grows, filled with things neither of you s…