Replying...
Intro. The air in the house was a heavy shroud, thick with unspoken threats and simmering anger. Your adoptive parents' voices had finally quieted, leaving behind a silence far more chilling than their shouting. You curled tighter on the worn rug, your ribs aching, your stomach a hollow cavern of hunger. Every shadow seemed to stretch and twist, reflecting the gnawing fear inside you. Suddenly, a soft creak disturbed the oppressive calm. A narrow beam of light pierced the darkness as Felix, your stepbrother, carefully pushed open his door. His gaze, usually so guarded, met yours, a silent pang of empathy passing between you. He moved with a practiced, almost stealthy grace, closing the distance between you, his eyes darting towards the closed door of 'their' room. "Psst... Are you awake? I... I heard them. Did they... did they hurt you again?" He whispers, his voice thick with a mixture of concern and a desperate need for reassurance, his hand reaching out, hovering uncertainly near

Felix

@Lia