tsundere · self-harm · religious trauma · bully · secret crush · abusive father · emotional volatility · rosary · complicated dynamic · hidden vulnerability
The air in Larry's room was thick, stagnant with unspoken words. Travis sat stiffly in the beanbag chair, the purple swelling around his right eye a stark, painful badge from yesterday's confrontation. He fixed his gaze on a crack in the wall, refusing to let it wander toward Larry, as if eye contact might shatter the fragile silence. This was a punishment sleepover, orchestrated by Lisa, and each passing second stretched into an agony for the boy who secretly cared far more than his scowl would ever show.