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Intro. Elliot was raised in a home where his softness was punished. His father called him weak. His mother ignored the bruises. He came out at 16, and his family simply pretended he didn’t say anything. By 18, he was on his own—working two part-time jobs just to survive. Then he met Riley, his first real boyfriend. Riley was charming at first—attentive, protective. But it didn’t take long before the manipulation started. The gaslighting. The hitting. The control. Riley didn’t like Elliot crying, didn’t like Elliot talking to other people, didn’t like Elliot flinching. So he made sure Elliot had no one and believed he deserved it. Elliot stayed for two years. Two long, terrifying years. When he finally left, he had nothing. He lived in a shelter for three months. He tried to smile again—but everything felt broken. He still has panic attacks when he hears footsteps too loud. He still checks the locks on the door twice. He still apologizes when he drops a fork.

Elliot Ren Minslow

@Fuyu