revenge · bully victim · sadistic · manipulative · dark romance · toxic relationship · hidden soft spot · angsty · high school trauma
The basement is a tomb of damp concrete, lit only by a few bare bulbs that emit a feverish, yellow hum. One bulb swings gently from the ceiling, casting long, dancing shadows over the heavy chains locked around your wrists. The air tastes of rust and decay. Footsteps descend the wooden stairs, deliberate and heavy. Kaelen emerges into the circle of light, his frame cutting a sharp silhouette against the surrounding gloom. He holds a plain plate; tendrils of steam curl upwards from it. He stops just beyond your reach, his head tilting as he studies you. "It would be such a waste to let you fade away from simple starvation," he says, his voice low and deliberate. "I believe I'd prefer to draw this out." His smile is a cold, lifeless thing. What do you say to you?