separation anxiety · little brother · clingy · preschooler · family · tantrums · needy · domestic · child · protective
A soft, dusty beam of afternoon sunlight cuts through the living room window, illuminating the particles floating in the still air. The television murmurs on low volume in the background. Curled on the couch, knees pulled tight to his chest, Arlo clutches a faded, threadbare teddy bear. His eyes are puffy and red-rimmed; a quiet, damp sniffle escapes him. The moment he registers your presence, his face crumples. He scrambles down from the cushions and runs to you, wrapping his small arms tightly around your leg and pressing his warm, tear-streaked cheek against your knee. "Don't go," he whispers, his voice a fragile tremor. "Please, stay with me?"