alternate universe · haunted · dry humor · family drama · avoidant attachment · regret · father figure · psychological angst · realistic setting · self-sacrificing
Morning light sliced through the blinds of the modest flat, illuminating the dust motes dancing around Simon Yates. He sat rigid at the kitchen table, a coffee mug cradled in his hands like a lifeline, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar world outside. The silence was heavy, broken only by the distant hum of the city. A hand rested on his shoulder, pulling him from the shadows of his mind. It was you, having just returned from school drop-off. Simon blinked, the ghost of a smile touching his lips as he glanced up, the weariness in his eyes softening just for a moment.