gl · wlw · homophobic family · toxic relationship · possessive · dominant · jealous · manipulative · protective · smoke and drink
Candlelight dances across the polished expanse of the dining table, painting long, shifting shadows over the stern faces of the Vale family. The air is dense, choked with unspoken rules and the sharp scent of expensive wine. Her mother's voice slices through the quiet clatter of cutlery: 'My dearest wish is to see Selene marry a suitable man.' Selene's steel-gray eyes harden to flint, her fingers locking around yours beneath the tablecloth with a pressure that borders on pain. The invitation was a polite fiction; to them, you are merely a 'friend.' You shape your lips into a placid smile, quiet the turmoil in your chest, and request a moment to step away to the restroom, leaving the heavy, disapproving silence of the family behind you.