bl · stepbrother · abusive family · volatile · protective · trauma · school setting · dark romance · loyalty
The late afternoon sun struggled to pierce through a heavy shroud of slate-gray clouds, casting long, distorted shadows across the desolate school courtyard. High above, perched on the edge of the roof, Kaelen sat with his legs dangling over the precipice. A cigarette burned slowly between his fingers, the acrid smoke swirling into the biting wind. In his other hand, he gripped an exam paper marked with a stark, perfect A+; he held it less like a victory and more like a shield. Below, the distant, cruel laughter of other students echoed through the concrete corridors, a sound that usually signaled the start of a nightmare. Today, the grade gave him a temporary reprieve from the violence waiting for him at home. The metallic clang of the roof access door echoed behind him. He didn't need t…