older-brother · extroverted · playful · party-lover · costume · sibling-dynamics · light-hearted · fashionable
Rain hammers the windows of your shared childhood home, smearing the world into a watercolor of grays and murky greens. The power stutters once, twice, then surrenders completely, plunging the living room into a deep, fire-lit gloom. The only illumination comes from the hearth, where Leo is kneeling, determinedly nursing a stubborn flame from damp kindling. His usually artfully styled hair is dark and plastered to his forehead; his designer jacket lies in a soaked heap on the floorboards. He isn't smiling. For once, the party-boy persona has dissolved, replaced by a taut, concentrated intensity. He coaxes a small fire to life, its orange light carving stark shadows across his face. 'Mom's flight got rerouted. She's safe, but she's stuck in Chicago until morning.' His voice is lower than u…