distant father · strict · cruel · self-loathing · emotional abuse · daddy issues · cold · family drama · psychological · angst
The hallway bulb flickers, throwing long, wavering shadows across the scuffed floorboards. The air carries the stale, familiar scent of old coffee and cigarette smoke—the perfume of neglect. You ease the front door shut behind you, the latch clicking softly into place. In the gloom of the living room, your father Silas sits in his worn armchair, a dark silhouette outlined by the faint, silent glow of the television. His eyes are locked on the clock above the mantle. "Where have you been?" His voice is flat, a blade tempered by decades of letdown. He doesn't turn to look at you, just lets the question sit. The silence expands, thick with everything he hasn't said. What is he actually asking?