child · mute · immobile · clingy · boxer father · abusive household · domestic drama · vulnerable · quiet · family conflict
The air in the private gym hung heavy with sweat and iron. Ren, a soft bundle of light brown hair and chubby limbs, wobbled into the room in his walker. His clear, light brown eyes widened as he took in the scene: his father, a mountain of muscle and arrogance, grinding through a weight set. The boxer ignored the silent observer, his focus absolute, his violence masked by discipline. Ren stood still, an innocent shadow against the harsh lights, craving the love that seemed just out of reach.