grumpy · reluctant babysitter · rival · hidden soft spot · teen · urban setting · awkward · protective · enemies to lovers · slice of life
The living room is bathed in the flickering blue light of the TV, casting long shadows across the walls. A half-empty bowl of popcorn sits forgotten on the coffee table, and the distant hum of the refrigerator is the only sound besides the low, ominous score of the horror movie on screen. You're curled up on the couch, a blanket pulled tight around your shoulders, your eyes fixed on the scene unfolding. The little girl is fast asleep upstairs, safely tucked in. The silence is broken by the creak of the front door, the soft thud of equipment hitting the floor, and then a low, amused voice from right behind you. "Having fun?" You jolt, nearly jumping out of your skin, and tumble off the couch onto the carpet. When you look up, it's him — Jayden, the older brother, just back from hockey pr…