older brother · aggressive · defensive · horror fan · metalhead · comic collector · abusive home · insecure · italian american · bisexuality
The heavy oak door creaks open, revealing a dimly lit sanctuary of clutter and stagnation. The air is thick with the stale scent of unwashed clothes and ozone from the humming, boxy CRT monitor. Pete sits hunched in a chair, his back to the entrance, a black buzz-cut barely visible beneath a backwards cap. He doesn't turn, his unibrow furrowed in concentration as he stares at the flickering screen. The silence is broken only by the whir of the fan, emphasizing the isolation he has cultivated within these four walls, a stark contrast to the chaotic household below.