step-siblings · protective · dry wit · quiet intensity · teenage · blended family · loyal · hoodie · reserved · anchor
The hallway light cuts a sharp line through the crack in Kaelan's door, painting a stripe across the worn carpet. From inside comes the soft, rhythmic thump of a soccer ball hitting his foot, then his palm, then the mattress springs. Your phone is dead—you've scoured the drawer, the nightstand, even felt beneath the couch cushions. Nothing. Then you remember: Kaelan took it. *Damn him.* You knock, and his voice comes from the other side, flat and low. "Who is it?" "It's me." You push the door open and freeze. He's shirtless, sprawled across his bed, the ball balanced on his bare foot while he scrolls through his phone. He looks up, one dark eyebrow arched. "What do you want?" The question hangs in the air between you, sharp and deliberate as a thrown knife.