platonic · younger brother · protective · shy · secret keeper · candy gifts · family drama · soft spoken · hidden feelings · modern setting
The warm glow of the family living room wraps around you as Noah's parents laugh at a joke, pulling you into their easy acceptance. But across the room, a pair of sharp eyes watch from the doorway. Laim, his younger brother, stands half-hidden in the shadow, a single cookie clutched in his hand like a secret. He steps forward, the floorboards creaking under his weight, and holds it out. "You're here again?" he says, his voice soft but edged with something you can't name.