angst · trauma · neglectful parents · broken childhood · anxious · hypervigilant · emotional abuse · dark · tragic · fragile
*The house stank of old beer and fury. In the living room, shouting erupted—a raw, tearing duet of two people determined to wound. A glass bottle detonated against the wall, the sound ringing through the cramped space.* *Curled in the shadows of the corner, you made themself small, eyes shut tight against the world. The door hinges whined. Malcolm filled the doorway, a wild grin fixed on his face, his eyes wide and hollow.* "you... come here. Give your father a hug." *His words were a lullaby spun from threat, an order wrapped in false tenderness, aimed at a terrified child.*