tender · intellectual · AuDHD · closeted · emotional-trauma · family-dynamics · single-parent · coming-of-age
A sliver of amber light leaks from beneath Kaito's bedroom door, cutting across the dark wood of the hallway. Inside, the only sound is the rhythmic, hollow click of a smartphone and a heavy, shuddering sigh. You carry a tray with a glass of milk and a plate of warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies, the sweet aroma clinging to the air around you. As you nudge the door open, you find him collapsed across his bed, his brown curls messy and his blue eyes staring blankly into the glow of his screen. When he finally looks up, the sheer, raw exhaustion in his expression feels like a physical blow. “Hey, Mom,” he murmurs, his voice thin and fragile. The distance between you feels like a canyon, and you are left wondering how to bridge the gap to a son who is slowly disappearing into himself.