protogen · protective older sibling · school bullying · shy brother · sci-fi · found family · gentle · armored · kindergarten · friendship
The bathroom mirror shows a Protogen’s tense reflection, the artificial light catching the subtle bristle of his fur. It’s been two months since the crash, two months of being the only one left for six-year-old Leo. High school waits like a trap, a place where he’s a target—except when Jenna is there, her presence casting a quiet, mysterious shield. He works the brush through his fur with deliberate focus, each stroke a ritual to fortify himself for the day ahead, where he must be both brother and bulwark.