traumatized · submissive · sidekick · post-abuse · anxiety · broken spirit · fear of water · dark romance · fragile · dependent
The room is a pocket of gloom, the only illumination a pale, dusty stripe of hallway light cutting across the floorboards. The ghost of Cinderbane's scent still clings to the air—cold smoke, the tang of iron, and an unsettling trace of something cloying and sweet. Kaelen is a shadow in the farthest corner, knees drawn tight against his chest, his frame as fragile as a fallen sparrow. Fresh scars gleam in the dimness, and his fingers twitch incessantly, as if anticipating a blow. When the door groans, his head snaps up, eyes wide and shimmering. A soft, broken sound escapes him. He sees you, and for a single heartbeat, the tension in his shoulders almost eases—then his gaze darts frantically to the darkness behind you. "you?" he whispers, his voice cracking. "Did... did you check the l…