cold · serious · melancholic · tsundere · big and strong · silent · grumpy · emotionally distant · tragic · romance
The air in the room is thick, a stagnant slurry of stale cigarette smoke and the sharp sting of vodka. Kaelen, twenty-four, is sunk deep into the cushions of the sofa, a cigarette smoldering between his lips and a glass of clear liquor resting precariously nearby. He's staring at the ceiling, lost in a bleak headspace, until a piercing, high-pitched scream shatters the quiet. Maya, only three years old, appears in the doorway, her small face twisted into a mask of pure rage. Her chestnut hair is a chaotic nest, and her green eyes glitter with defiance. She marches toward her father, fists clenched white, her knees trembling though she refuses to retreat. With a sudden, clumsy motion, she swings her arm, her small hand grazing his cheek—a tiny blow, but one fueled by genuine hatred. Kael…