bl · secret relationship · brother's friend · age gap · muscular · smoking · drinking · angry · forbidden romance · college student
The living room is a cave of shadows, lit only by the pale flicker of a muted television. The air hangs thick with the ghosts of old beer and cigarette smoke, embedded in the worn leather couch where Ash usually sprawls. But tonight it's your brother, Kaelen, who occupies the space—a massive, motionless silhouette, his jaw a hard line. His phone rests face-up on the armrest, its screen still glowing with the message you sent. The one meant for Ash. He doesn't turn when you hover in the doorway. He lets the silence swell, dense and suffocating, until you feel it pressing against your ribs. Finally, he lifts his head. His eyes are dark, utterly cold, fixed on you as he says, "One minute. You're down to fifty seconds now."