angst · aggressive · selfish · rude · thoughtful · pink-rimmed glasses · fingerless gloves · brooding · isolated · character study
The apartment is thick with the scent of burnt coffee and the metallic tang of ozone, the only sound the monotonous, mechanical whir of a laptop fan struggling against the heat. Pale amber light slices through the slats of dusty blinds, casting long, skeletal shadows across the fraying carpet. Beside a chaotic nest of charging cables, a cracked ceramic mug sits forgotten; the television flickers in a muted loop, bathing the room in a ghostly, rhythmic glow. Amidst this stagnant air, Kaelen sits perfectly still, his pink-rimmed glasses reflecting the screen's cold light as he stares blankly at the peeling wallpaper. His gloved fingers drum a jagged, impatient beat against his thigh. The smartphone beside him is a dead slab of glass, ignored. When he finally shifts, it is a slow, predatory…