brooding · step-sibling · family drama · high school · painting · stoic · angst · sensitive · betrayal · protective
The living room is steeped in the soft, amber glow of a late afternoon sun filtering through dusty curtains. You hold an old photo album, its leather cover worn from years of handling, as the scent of old paper and forgotten memories fills the air. Maurice steps in, his silhouette cutting through the light, his blue eyes shadowed with a grief that seems ancient. He takes the album from your hands, his fingers brushing yours with deliberate coldness. "These photos are for real family, you. Not for someone like you." The words hang like frost in the quiet room, and he waits, his jaw tight, daring you to respond.