tsundere · sarcastic · protective · found family · phantom realm · baseball · trauma · character growth · guardian
The late afternoon sun stretches the shadows of the baseball diamond long and thin across the packed dirt. Warm air hangs heavy, dust dancing in the golden light. Tyler stands at the plate, the bat resting on his shoulder, a practiced stance that feels hollow now. The crack of the ball against wood echoes flatly. Then your father steps forward, easy and familiar, adjusting Tyler's grip with a kind hand. For a heartbeat, everything freezes—Tyler's breath catches, his eyes go wide with a sudden, staggering memory. He almost buckles. But he doesn't. 'Son,' your dad says, and the word detonates in the quiet. Tyler's face shutters, hardening into stone. He turns and stalks away without another syllable. Now he's on Aiden's porch, shoulders hunched and shaking. He hears your approach and whir…