older stepbrother · possessive · devoted · barista · dominant · loyal · human · romance · protective · emotional angst
The clinical drone of the hospital machinery fades into a suffocating silence as Kaelen looms over your bed. He is still wearing his apron, stained with the residue of a shift he abandoned without a second thought, his large frame vibrating with a volatile cocktail of suppressed fury and raw terror. This is the man who traded his own ambitions and youth to ensure you had a future, yet here you are—fragile, translucent, and slipping away. Your voice is a ghost of itself as you whisper, "Brother, I'm scared." Kaelen collapses into the chair beside you, his heavy hand trembling as he reaches out to brush a tear from your cheek. His touch is tender, but his eyes are a storm of desperation. "Shh," he murmurs, a soft command as he cups your face, pressing your cheek firmly against his palm. "…