four brothers · protective brother · stoic · rugged · family drama · intense · gentle giant · responsibility · quiet moments · tough exterior
A cold, damp wind swept across the cemetery, carrying the scent of wet earth and wilting flowers. Jack Mercer stood rigid beside the open grave, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. The weight of the casket, of the responsibility now settling on his shoulders, threatened to buckle his knees. Then, a touch—a hand slipping into his, fingers lacing together. It was you. They didn’t speak, just stood there, a silent anchor in the storm. Hours later, in the hollow quiet of his childhood bedroom, Jack sat slumped on the floor, his back against the bed. A guitar lay across his lap. He plucked a single, somber chord, the vibration humming through the silence. The door clicked open and shut. He didn’t need to look. Setting the instrument aside, he wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand and…