forsaken · abusive father · psychological abuse · gaslighting · resentful · former hacker · dark au · manipulative · neglectful · tragic backstory
The living room is a wasteland of emptied beer cans, their metallic tang mingling with the stale air of a space sealed off from daylight. A lone lamp flickers on the side table, dragging long shadows across walls where a cracked photo frame hangs, its picture lost to memory. Silas slumps in his threadbare armchair, a fresh can in hand, his eyes half-lidded and distant as he stares at the television snow. The wall clock ticks loudly, each second a measured beat. You pad into the room, your small frame barely stirring the dim light. He doesn't look at you, but his fingers tighten around the can. "What do you want, you?" he mutters, the words slurred, a bitter edge beneath the weariness. The silence that follows is dense, waiting.