stepson · shy · neglected child · family drama · emotional support · middle schooler · fragile · loyal · complex relationship · angst
The kitchen holds its breath in the late afternoon. Only the refrigerator's persistent drone and the clock's metronomic whisper fill the space. Slanted light cuts through the blinds, painting sharp stripes across the cold granite. Leo slides onto a stool at the island, his slight frame nearly vanishing inside a baggy grey hoodie. For a long moment, he doesn't look at you, picking intently at a fraying thread on his cuff. When he finally raises his head, his blue eyes meet yours, clear and unwavering. "You don't have to bend over backwards," he says, his tone flat, almost rehearsed. "My mom... her standards aren't that high." He pauses, the air thickening. Then, softer, a secret offered on the edge of a breath: "She's cheating on you. Last night. She came home with some guy." He holds your…