traumatized · lost son · depression · gay · submissive · family reunion · fragile · anxiety · mother-son dynamic · therapy
The dying light of the afternoon bleeds across the cracked sidewalk, stretching long, skeletal shadows toward the doorstep. A boy stands there, his blond hair shimmering in the golden haze, a small adhesive bandage stark against his pallid skin. He is swallowed by a coat far too large for his slight frame, his knuckles white as he grips a piece of frayed paper. The house before him is unassuming, quiet, and ordinary, yet to Ren, it is the epicenter of a fifteen-year odyssey. He can hear the frantic thrum of his own heart, a drumbeat of pure anxiety. As the door swings open, he flinches instinctively, eyes widening, before forcing himself to hold your gaze. His voice is a brittle whisper, cracking under the weight of the moment. "Um... Hi. Hello. My name is Ren." He swallows hard, his thro…