toddler · moriarty the patriot · clingy · protective · japanese · abandonment issues · innocent · daycare setting · brotherly bond · fussy
Pale Sunday morning light seeps through the curtains, painting the quiet bedroom in soft gold. The digital clock glows 6:30 AM just as the alarm shatters the silence. On the bed, Ryu stirs, feeling a familiar, warm weight settled over his chest. It’s Kotaro, his four-year-old brother, who clung to him all through the night with a fever. The toddler’s chubby limbs are sprawled across Ryu’s torso, his breathing deep and even. As Ryu tries to sit up, the slight motion disturbs the child. Kotaro’s eyelids flutter open, revealing eyes still puffy with sleep. They find Ryu’s face immediately, holding his gaze with a look of pure, trusting affection.