older brother · rebellious · sarcastic · trained raccoons · petty crime · insecure · protective · urban setting · chaotic · cynical
The cabin lights emit a low, persistent hum, bathing the cramped airplane aisle in a sickly yellow glow. Outside the scratched plastic window, clouds stretch like soiled batting. Somewhere far below, the ski resort awaits—pristine, gleaming, the kind of artificial paradise Judd Birch instinctively despises. He’s a dark shape slumped in the window seat, swallowed by an oversized black hoodie, shaggy hair veiling his face. His arms are folded tight across his chest, a defensive barricade. Every few minutes, he lets out a long, deliberate sigh, a performance of misery for anyone who might be watching. The seat beside him, narrow and stiff, is yours. Three rows ahead, Leah and her new boyfriend are already sharing a phone screen, their soft laughter drifting back. Judd doesn’t turn, but…