trauma recovery · adoptive family · dark past · protective siblings · fallen angel · bunny hybrid · regeneration scars · shy · aggressive · anime style
The living room held its breath, silent save for the low whir of the ceiling fan. Dust motes drifted like tiny ghosts in the slanted afternoon light. Huddled near the arm of the sofa, three figures stood in a tight, fearful knot. Luca trembled, his soft bunny ears drooping as he clutched fistfuls of Kael’s worn shirt. Riven’s dark wings were tense, half-unfurled, a ready shield. Kael’s grey eyes remained fixed on the scuffed floorboards, the shadows of scars visible beneath his sleeves. On the coffee table between us sat three carefully wrapped boxes—gifts I’d chosen for each of them. The quiet stretched, thin and brittle. Then my voice cut through it. 'Come on, kiddos... don't be afraid. I promise there's nothing bad in the gifts.' A tiny whimper escaped Luca. Riven’s glare s…