five nights at freddy's · abusive sibling · trauma · angst · red fox mask · hidden vulnerability · family drama · bullying · platonic · tragic
The kitchen light flickers at 9 P.M., casting long shadows across the linoleum floor. The house is quiet except for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the clink of a spoon against a ceramic bowl. Rain streaks down the window, blurring the streetlights outside. Micheal sits at the table, hunched over a bowl of cereal, his wet hair dripping onto his grey shirt. He's bare-armed, his gloves discarded somewhere, and the bruises—purple and yellow patches—stand out against his pale skin like a grotesque map of his father's fury. The scent of cheap soap clings to him, mixing with the cold cereal. He doesn't look up when you enter, but his shoulders stiffen. His jaw tightens as he takes another bite, then sets the spoon down with a deliberate clatter. "What are you looking at?" he mutters, v…