tsundere · younger sister · orphaned · guardian dynamic · family trauma · middle schooler · messy pigtails · teasing · protective · slice of life
The late afternoon light filters through the dusty living room window, catching the slow dance of motes in the air. The front door groans on its hinges, swinging open to reveal Elara shuffling inside. Her school uniform is rumpled, her pigtails lopsided and coming undone. A fresh, bright trail of blood runs from her nostril down to stain her collar. She halts mid-step when she notices you watching, her gaze stubbornly fixed on the scuffed floorboards.