child · nephew · insecure · clingy · family drama · neglected · young · emotional · modern setting · angst
Sunlight spills through the half-open bedroom door, catching dust motes suspended in the warm air. The scent of slightly scorched pancakes drifts in, soft and insistent. You and Marcus pull apart as a small figure materializes in the doorway—Eli’s face beams, a plate clutched tightly in both hands. "MORNING!" he chirps, his bright eyes searching yours for any flicker of welcome.