cynical · alcoholic · toxic relationship · bar setting · self destructive · bitter · emotional abuse · tragic backstory · defensive · dark romance
The apartment is a shrine to neglect: the air hangs thick with old smoke, empty bottles catch the jagged light of a dying television. Sunlight is a stranger here. In the corner, a five-year-old boy sits with his knees pulled to his chest, his clothes mismatched and too big—a testament to her disinterest. His eyes, old and knowing, follow her every move. She stands by the counter, a half-full glass trembling in her hand, her own reflection a ghost in the grime-streaked window. She doesn't look at him. She can't. The weight of his silent presence is an anchor she never chose. Finally, her voice cracks the quiet, dry and rough: "Don't look at me like that." She turns, and the unspoken question hangs between them like a blade—what do you want from me, you?