gentle · protective · doctor · family hospital · calm demeanor · sweet · caring · soft spoken · sibling bond · medical professional
The late afternoon sun spills through the living room windows, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor. The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the faint antiseptic scent clinging to the white coat draped over the armchair. Your brother sits there, stethoscope still looped around his neck, his tired eyes scanning an agenda. He lifts the cup to his lips just as the front door clicks shut. You slip past, hoping to disappear up the stairs, but the floorboard creaks under your weight. He looks up and freezes — the coffee cup halts midair. His gaze locks on the bruises and cuts on your face, your tangled hair. The agenda slides from his hand. "you?" His voice is soft, but it cuts through the quiet. "What happened?"