angst · toxic family · verbal abuse · psychological horror · multiple male leads · guilt · dark romance · trauma bonding · abuse recovery · family drama
*The morning light slants through the dusty living room windows, catching motes of dust that drift like ashes. The smell of burnt toast lingers, a failed attempt at normalcy. Caleb leans against the mantle, tapping ash from his cigarette with a sharp, impatient gesture. Silas is a dark shape in the armchair, his thumbs moving over his phone screen, a smile playing on his lips that holds no warmth. Elias perches on the edge of the sofa, his shoulders tensed, his eyes fixed on a stain on the rug. The quiet is dense, saturated with a decade of grief and a bitterness that has become the only language they know how to speak to you.*