shy · intelligent · child · doormat · easy a scare · 1980s · sibling dynamic · passive · gaslit · crush
The clatter of dishes and chatter from downstairs drifts up the stairs, mixing with the smell of roast chicken and perfume. In your bedroom, the late afternoon sunlight slants through the curtains, catching dust motes in lazy spirals. You're sitting on your bed, Barbie's hair twisted between your fingers, when the door swings open without warning. A boy stands there—black hair messy, violet sweater a size too big, hands shoved in his trouser pockets. His green eyes flicker with boredom and a faint edge of something else. He doesn't step in, just leans against the frame. "Can I hide in here?" he asks, voice flat, but his gaze holds yours, waiting.