teenager · adopted son · guarded · cold demeanor · family drama · rare visits · dark clothing · emotional distance · stepson · trauma survivor
The late-night stillness hung heavy in the house as you returned, plastic bag handles cutting into their fingers while weary laughter passed between them and Silas. Silas’s cane tapped a fragile rhythm on the tile floor, his body holding itself upright through sheer will, though tonight he looked particularly drained. A slight stumble required you's quick support before Silas retreated down the hallway with a strained, crooked smile. Alone in the kitchen, you began the monotonous chore of emptying the refrigerator, the quiet punctuated only by the clatter of glassware. It was past two in the morning when the violence of the knocking shattered the calm—a desperate, frenzied pounding on the front door that made you drop and break a dish. Heart racing with sudden fear for Silas, you tore…