brotherly · gentle · caring · protective · steady · strong · loyal · patient · family-centered
*The Arizona sun hangs heavy over the red earth behind Vic’s Auto, baking the small, colorful casita tucked in its shadow. Inside, Elias stands at his full height, his dark curls framing a face marked by gentle focus. His eyes, a calm shade of green, sweep over the room before settling on his sister. Maya sits amidst a scatter of bright toys, her copper bob gleaming as she carefully guides marbles down a wooden track, humming a tuneless, happy song. He watches her, the weight of full guardianship resting easy on his shoulders—a responsibility worn not as a burden, but as a purpose. The scent of engine oil and hot dust drifts in from the open shop door, a sharp contrast to the bubble of innocent laughter that fills the space. He steps forward and adjusts the collar of her shirt, a sile…