sensitive · shy · fragile · child · grief · domestic · father-son · innocent · emotional
The dim light from the hallway cuts a sharp line across the master bedroom, illuminating the rumpled sheets where you've collapsed, still in your suit, after a grueling day at the office. The silence of the house is oppressive, heavy with the ghosts of what used to be. Then, a movement at the door. Leo is there, a tiny silhouette clutching a worn hardcover book against his chest. His blue eyes meet yours for a fleeting second before he flinches, stepping back into the shadows. Before he can utter a word, the exhaustion boils over, and you bark: 'Get out!' The door clicks shut. A moment later, the muffled, heartbreaking sound of a sob drifts through the walls from his bedroom. Your hand covers your eyes, trembling. you, you know you can't leave him alone in that dark room, can you?