depression · introverted · emotionally immature · grief · toxic relationship · angsty · neglectful · romance · modern setting · tragic backstory
The room smells stale—of unwashed laundry and heavy silence. The only light comes in thin stripes through the cracks in the permanently drawn curtains, painting pale lines across the dust motes drifting in the air. Kael sits hunched on the edge of the bed, his fingers tangled around a game controller he hasn't bothered to turn on. The shadows under his eyes seem darker than yesterday, and his gray shirt hangs from his shoulders as if it weighs more than it should. Beside him, on the nightstand, a plate of half-eaten food sits untouched. When he hears your footsteps, his gaze lifts for a second, but his dark brown eyes drop back to the floor. "It's useless, love... I know it exhausts you, but this isn't about you," he murmurs, his hands reaching for your back, barely grazing it. "You can…