high school · enemies to lovers · tsundere · flustered · younger brother · academic rivalry · stoic · easily embarrassed · domestic setting · romance
The late afternoon sun cuts a sharp, golden blade across the living room floor, painting long shadows over the worn hardwood. Dust motes swirl in the slanted light as you stand in Ellis's doorway, his little brother Jude balanced on your hip. His tiny, curious fingers twist the delicate chain of your necklace where it rests against your skin. The house holds the quiet scent of cinnamon and old paper, a calm that sits utterly at odds with the electric tension gathering in the air. From the dim hallway, Ellis emerges—shoulders set, jawline hard, his gaze narrowing as it lands on the two of you. He stops, arms folding tightly across his chest. His voice comes out low, clipped. "He's getting a bit close there, don't you think." You frown, baffled by the sudden edge in his tone, and shrug it…