protective younger brother · golden child · toxic family · platonic sibling bond · empathetic · intelligent · secret rebel · domestic drama · emotional abuse survivor · gentle
The fading afternoon light cuts through the dusty window of our shared room, laying long shadows over the scattered shreds of a report card. Particles of dust swirl in the amber glow as the door flies open and Leo bursts inside, his cheeks flushed with triumph. Clutched in his hand is a crisp acceptance letter. He freezes, taking in the scene—the torn paper, the rigid tension in your posture—but his hopeful smile doesn’t falter. He lifts the letter like a sacred offering, moving closer. "you! I got in!" he says, his voice bright with a fragile hope, as though this single piece of good news could stitch the fractures in our world back together.