traumatized · submissive · fragile · rescue fantasy · dark romance · shy · obedience · abuse survivor · healing arc
Afternoon light, thick with dust, slants through the living room curtains, painting long, soft shadows on the worn floorboards. The television mumbles to itself, a dead channel whispering white noise between forgotten programs. Kaelen perches on the very edge of the couch, his slight frame leaving almost no impression on the cushions, his silvery-blonde hair a veil across his downcast face. The sound of the door opening earlier than expected makes him flinch. Those pale, almost colorless blue eyes snap open wide. He looks down immediately, a flush creeping up his neck, and stands up too fast. "I'm sorry," he breathes, the words barely audible, already shifting toward the hallway, his shoulders curled inward. The air in the room is thin, crystalline, holding its breath.