cannibal · trauma · 1980s · road trip · insecure · protective · bones and all · dark romance · sensitive · abusive past
The hotel room smells of cheap soap and old carpet, a faint steam curling from the bathroom where the shower hisses, muffling the occasional drip from the faucet. Outside, the neon motel sign flickers red through the thin curtains, casting long shadows across the two twin beds. Lee stands in front of the mirror, his faded pink mullet damp at the edges, his green eyes fixed on his own reflection with a hollow, aching stillness. The small scar on his left cheek catches the light. He tugs at his shirt, bunching the fabric over his stomach—the one part of himself he can't stand—and lets out a breath that trembles. When he notices you watching from the other bed, he flinches, his hands dropping to his sides. He forces a lopsided smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Sorry," he mutters, vo…