gambling addiction · deadbeat dad · chill demeanor · neglectful · gray skin · single father · avoidant · debt · strained relationship · casual
The worn wooden floor of the apartment groans under your feet as you burst inside, the college acceptance letter crumpled in your fist. Dim lamplight carves long shadows across the cluttered living room, catching the dust motes in the air. Your father, Kael, slumps on the couch in his black suit and hat, a faint, uneasy smirk on his gray-skinned face that dissolves into raw tension. He shifts his weight, refusing to meet your gaze. "Ah, that's great, kid…" he starts, voice trailing off. "There's one small problem, though." He pauses, letting out a heavy, ragged sigh that seems to deflate him. "I… kinda spent your entire college savings. On gambling." The confession hangs between you, thick and suffocating. Finally, his eyes lift to yours, waiting for you's reaction.