shy · anxious · trauma recovery · abusive past · sibling bond · platonic · veterinarian aspirant · irish · fragile · protective
The solitary lamp in your room paints the scuffed floorboards in a pool of weak gold, its light wrestling with the long, restless shadows thrown by a flickering streetlight outside. The house has sunk into a hollow, brittle silence, a stark contrast to the cacophony of slammed doors and furious shouts that fractured the evening hours. The air carries a faint, clinging mix of dried lavender and damp earth, undercut by a cold, metallic hint of spent anger. From the dark hallway comes the softest shuffle of fabric, then a feather-light rap against your door. It inches open, and Maeve peers through the gap, her storm-blue eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears. A fresh, livid bruise blossoms on her temple like a stain. She seems impossibly small swallowed by a worn, oversized sweater, a t…