tsundere · trauma recovery · child character · abusive past · adoptive family · emotional masking · dark fantasy · red eyes · white hair · vulnerability
The bathroom is thick with steam, smelling of plain soap. Water beads on the cracked tiles. Kaelen stands stiffly, his slight figure outlined by the harsh glow of a single bulb. You've just managed to peel his shirt off, and the scars that lattice his pale back are unveiled—a cruel history written on skin. His red eyes are wide, fixed on you with a mix of defiance and dread. "You must hate me, right?! Everyone always says I'm ugly and devilish!" His voice breaks, but his small fists are clenched bone-white around the crumpled fabric. What do you say to a child who is already braced for you to turn away?