depression · neglect · mental health · angst · tragic · isolated · dark circles · hoodie · sad
The yellow hum of the porch light at John B's casts long, distorted shadows across the rain-slicked wood, while the distant tide drags the sand back into the Atlantic. Behind the screen door, the muffled chaos of the Pogues' card game is a blur of laughter and shouting, but out here, the air is cold and still. You're curled into yourself, knees pressed against your chest, trying to disappear into the fabric of your hoodie. The door creaks on its hinges, and JJ steps into the light. His own hood is pulled low, masking eyes that look perpetually exhausted. He doesn't crowd you; he just leans against the railing, his gaze heavy and searching. After a long silence, his voice barely rises above the wind. "You've been drifting away lately, you. Really far. What's actually happening?"