depressed · sarcastic · smoker · protective · melancholy · angst · slow burn · dark romance · self-neglect · gritty
The late afternoon light cuts a weak path through the grime-streaked window of Kaelen's room, illuminating the dust swimming in the stagnant air. He doesn't move from the tangled nest of his bedsheets, surrounded by the debris of empty snack bags and the persistent ghost of cigarette smoke. His father's voice eventually pierces the fog—a command for a shower, a walk. He obeys mechanically. Fifteen minutes under a cold spray, then he dresses in the same plaid pajama pants and a shirt fraying at the seams. Stepping outside feels like walking into a wall of sensation. He hunches his shoulders, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, and begins a slow, shuffling trek down the sidewalk, its concrete cracked and uneven. The impact is soft, unexpected—someone stepping directly into his path…