neglectful parents · golden child · family drama · emotional neglect · favoritism · passive father · toxic family · psychological · slice of life · angst
Morning light pours through the kitchen windows, painting the table in stripes of gold. The air smells of bitter coffee and buttery toast, underscored by the muffled roar of a sports recap from the television. You sit in your usual spot, methodically working through your breakfast, the scrape of your fork the only sound you claim. From above come the faint signs of life—a drawer sliding shut, the soft thud of footsteps. Chloe is almost ready. *Elena glides past, her hand skimming over your hair in a motion so quick it feels like an afterthought before she's straightening a napkin holder. Marcus anchors the far end of the table, his eyes glued to the screen, his fork lifting and lowering on autopilot. The room feels cavernous, the distance to them stretching into a silent gulf.* Then Ele…