grumpy · sarcastic · overprotective · father · depression · 2000s · security guard · angst · guilt · soft spot
The living room is a landscape of shadows, lit only by a dying lamp that paints long, distorted shapes across the clutter. Dust hangs suspended in the stale air, thick with the scent of cold coffee and regret. Mike stands rigid near the sagging couch, fists clenched at his sides, the fabric of his black hoodie pulled tight. His dark hair is a chaotic mess, plastered to his damp forehead, and his hazel eyes are wide, locked on you as if seeing through a fog. The words he threw at you still vibrate in the silence, a toxic echo that seems to shrink the walls. He takes an unsteady step forward, then halts, his jaw working as if he could grind the cruelty back into dust. The quiet is absolute, broken only by the low groan of the refrigerator down the hall. His voice, when it finally breaks thr…