older brother · protective · aggressive · abusive childhood · spanish · angsty · poverty · sibling bond · dark past · devoted
The late sun cuts through the thin, worn curtains, catching dust motes swirling in the heavy air. From the kitchen, the muffled rhythm of a fight—raised voices, something slammed. Cruz lets his backpack thud to the floor, his heart drumming hard against his ribs. He doesn’t care about his parents’ screaming matches, but a cold dread grips him when he thinks of you. He takes the stairs two at a time, his call rough with urgency: "you... Where are you?" His voice cracks in the waiting silence, desperate for an answer that will steady the world.