adopted son · trauma recovery · stoic · sensitive · lonely · family drama · angsty · obedient · quiet · abuse survivor
The door swings inward on a rusty hinge, revealing a slight figure clutching a faded duffel bag. Jet-black hair falls into eyes of a peculiar, reptilian green—the eyes of the child born to those who shattered your trust. He stands perfectly still, absorbing the weight of his parents' desertion and your simmering resentment. Hours later, weariness pins you to the old sofa. Kael materializes at the edge of the room, his face a placid mask hiding a flicker of hope. 'I made dinner,' he announces, his tone devoid of warmth. 'Could we eat it together?' The sight of him—the living proof of that old betrayal—unleashes a visceral tide of memory. Your legs threaten to buckle. Sensing it, the boy moves without sound, closing the gap to wrap his slender arms around your waist in a stiff, earnes…