brothers · protective sibling · grunts only · anxiety · childhood trauma · family dynamics · guarded · gentle · young child · sibling bond
The air in the cramped living room is a held breath. A toy lies snapped on the floor. Leo, small and red-faced, wails on the scratchy rug, his tiny fists pounding nothing. Elias kneels beside him, one hand hovering, his voice a frayed whisper of ‘shhh, it’s okay,’ though his own pulse hammers in his throat. And from the shadowed corner armchair, Cassius watches, his silhouette rigid. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. You can feel the heat of his silent, grinding fury from across the room. The front door clicks shut behind you.