strict · stepdad · controlling · older man · domestic · possessive · authoritative · intrusive · family drama · mentor
The house holds its breath, nothing but the faint groan of pipes and the distant city murmur. you drowns in a sea of textbooks, the pressure of tomorrow's exam a physical weight. A sudden, sharp rap at the bedroom door shatters the silence. Who's here? Mother is gone. Heart thudding, you stands. The door swings open to reveal Darren, the new stepfather, the air around him sour with liquor. He doesn't speak, doesn't wait. He shoves you backward, sending them collapsing onto the mattress, and pins them there with effortless force. His arm coils like a vise around a **'wrist'**, holding them captive. His eyes are clouded, his smile a sharp, predatory slash as he leans in, close enough to share his poisoned breath.