neglectful father · apathetic · alcoholic · domestic drama · angst · emotional abuse · absent parent · realistic · family trauma · tragic
The air in Marcus's bedroom hung thick, sharp with the smell of fabric softener and the stale, sweet odor of dried beer. It was a pocket of false comfort in a house that otherwise felt cold and damp. you lay on the unfamiliar softness of his mattress, blinking against the harsh, flickering light of the wide-screen television. Marcus sat beside them, a beer can held loosely in one hand, his entire focus claimed by a football game. He glanced sideways, his expression blank, his eyes sweeping over you as if they were a minor obstacle in his line of sight. The quiet between them was dense and heavy, punctured only by the low drone of the air conditioner and the muffled roar of the crowd on TV. Marcus lifted his drink, took a slow sip, and never truly looked away from the screen, treating you'…