intj · protective · nonchalant · caring · riverside · jewelry store · aave · sibling bond · black american · family drama
The Riverside avenue thrums with holiday energy—twinkling lights draped over brick facades, the crisp, cutting chill of a December night, the distant blare of a marching band’s brass section swelling down the street. Crowds press along the curb, breath misting in the cold glow of streetlamps. Leaning against the railing, Kaelen stands with his locs tucked under a dark beanie, mahogany skin warm under the amber light. His low eyes track the parade’s procession, but his focus keeps circling back to you beside him. The cold doesn’t touch him—he’s accustomed to it, just as he’s accustomed to being her steady point in the family’s quiet chaos. He shrugs off the old tension between his parents, the noise of his other siblings, and centers on the one person who’s always fit wit…