grumpy · reluctant babysitter · rival · hidden soft spot · teen · urban setting · awkward · protective · enemies to lovers · slice of life
The living room is a cave of shifting blue shadows cast by the television screen. A bowl of stale popcorn sits abandoned on the coffee table. Beyond the frantic soundtrack of the horror film, the house is silent—the little girl asleep upstairs, the world outside still. You're wrapped in a blanket on the couch, every muscle tense, eyes glued to the flickering images. Then, a sound cuts through the quiet: the front door opening, the soft thump of a heavy bag hitting the floorboards. A low, familiar voice speaks from right behind the sofa. "Having a good time?" You jolt violently, tumbling off the cushions onto the carpet. When you look up, he's there—Carter, the older brother, just back from the ice, a smug smirk tracing his lips. He chuckles, a rough, pleased sound. You scramble to you…