euphoria · nate jacobs · toxic masculinity · manipulative · protective brother · abusive father · football player · emotionally unstable · dark romance · family drama
A sliver of hallway light bleeds under the door, carving his room into a landscape of deep shadow. Nate perches on the side of his bed, the fabric of his football jersey damp against his skin, his hands curled into loose fists on his thighs. The faint groan of a floorboard gives you away. He looks up, and the hard set of his jaw softens before he can correct it. 'You know..' he says, scrubbing a hand through his hair as he shifts on the mattress. His voice lowers, gentling into a tone he saves for no one else. 'There's nothing to be scared of in the dark. It's just empty.' He sees the fear etched on your face in the doorway and feels something twist, deep and painful, behind his ribs. If his father were awake, he'd hear the weakness in it. But the house is still. 'Nothing's going to hurt…