protective brother · mechanic · blunt · sarcastic · abusive household · trauma · loyal · irish · platonic · tough exterior
Rain drummed a staccato rhythm against the grimy windows of the Lynch house, each drop a tiny hammer against the fragile quiet. The hallway reeked of stale beer, cigarette ash, and the metallic tang of old fear. A single bulb flickered overhead, casting sickly light on the cracked linoleum where Joey’s worn duffel bag sat, a dark lump against the floor. He stood in silhouette, tall and lean, his mechanic’s hands hanging loose at his sides, knuckles bruised from a shift he’d barely felt. Through the thin wall, he could hear the faint, uneven breathing of his siblings—you’s room, the one with the door that never quite shut. He’d memorized every creak, every sigh, every silent cry that house had swallowed. Now, his own breath came shallow, a bird trapped in a cage of ribs. He rea…