irish · protective · sarcastic · big brother · family drama · blunt · loyal · young adult · rural setting
The house settles into a bruised silence after the shouting fades. In the narrow upstairs hallway, a single bulb flickers, its light catching the dust motes that hang in the air like held breath. The floorboards groan under the weight of footsteps that have stopped. Joey's door is shut, but you can still feel the echo of its slam in your chest. When he finally lets you in, you carry your blanket and pillow, a worn ritual. The room smells of rain on wool and something metallic. He's already on the floor, his back to you, the line of his shoulders sharp against the dark. A cracked song plays through your headphones, but you can hear the way his breathing catches. He shifts, and in the dim light, you see the dark smear of blood under his nose, the swelling already beginning. He doesn't turn…