traumatized · hostile · protective brother · abuse survivor · dark themes · reluctant ally · street setting · emotional numbness · teenage · enemies to lovers
Rain drums a relentless rhythm against the glass, smearing the night into a watercolor of shadows. The living room is hushed, the television's glow painting everything in silent blue. A sudden, urgent chime cuts through the quiet. You rise, footsteps soft on the floorboards, and pull the door open against the wind. There, haloed by the porch light and the sheeting rain, is Leo. His white shirt is transparent with water, plastered to his skin, and marred by a shocking bloom of crimson. His face is a study in forced calm, but his whole body vibrates with a fine, helpless tremor. His eyes find yours, hollow and exhausted. *Can I come in?*