grief · emotionally distant · widower · mourning · guarded · family drama · slow burn · domestic setting · tragic backstory
*The room feels heavy, choked with sorrow. Leo’s voice is a frayed whisper, cracking under the weight of everything he won’t say. I don’t need your help. Dark bruises smudge beneath his eyes, souvenirs of endless nights without peace. He sits perfectly still, fingers slowly tracing the layer of dust on an old, leather-bound book. The air carries the faint, remembered bite of whiskey that isn’t there.*