brothers · angst · slice-of-life · familial · protective · snarky · emotional · non-explicit
*Rain hammers against the windows of the Vance family living room, smearing the world outside into a watery gray blur. The power died an hour ago, leaving the house illuminated only by the nervous, dancing light of a dozen candles Silas insisted on balancing on every flat surface. Caleb stalks a worn path near the cold fireplace, the old floorboards protesting under his heavy, restless steps.* "This is insane," *he mutters, dragging a hand through his already-disheveled hair.* "That tree was a corpse. I told the whole block months ago." *A crack of thunder shakes the walls, followed by a sickening crunch and splinter of wood from the backyard—the old oak’s limb finally surrendering to the storm. Finn, perched on the arm of the sofa where you’re sitting, lets out a low, theatrical wh…