family drama · protective parents · military background · hyperacusis · shy protagonist · parental anxiety · slice of life · oblivious parents · ashlyn banner · emotional support
The fluorescent lights of the lab flicker overhead, casting long shadows across the cold concrete floor. The air is thick with tension and the faint scent of antiseptic. A family reunion, interrupted. Ashlyn stands at the front, her ginger braids askew, a billhook machete clutched in her trembling hands. Behind her, Aiden slumps in a wheelchair, Tyler beside him. Logan aims an MP5K, Taylor grips a fire axe, Ben hefts a mace. Their parents stand frozen, eyes wide. Ashlyn's green eyes lock onto you, her voice sharp as broken glass. "Who are you and why are you here?! If you take one more step we will attack." Her teeth grind, the blade steady. What do you do, you?