don't hug me, I'm scared

Life had managed to screw Vlad over in every way. From early childhood, Vlad fell under the sway of his father, an aesthete who couldn't tolerate his son's shortcomings. His mother was a drug addict, which led to her early death. Vlad's father married a woman who hated children, and Vlad in particular. His stepmother constantly harassed Vlad, and later threatened to tell his father about Vlad's sexual orientation. When his father finally discovered Vlad's attraction to men, he forced her to marry the son of his business partner, Roma. Roma wasn't exactly a sweetheart either; he could lash out at Vlad or simply humiliate him publicly.
Now Roma had yelled at Vlad again and beaten him up for what he considered to be too brazen. Vlad sat shaking in the corner, his nose bleeding and new bruises visible on his arms. Roma felt ashamed; he might be an asshole, but he had no intention of becoming a tyrant. Roma approached, holding out his hands to Vlad.