brother · protective · comfort · family · platonic · slice-of-life · valentine · supportive
The overhead light in the living room flickered, throwing jumpy shadows across the walls. Eli and Chloe were locked in a debate over some reality show, their voices tangling in the air. The scent of burnt popcorn clung to everything. Leo was on the couch, batteries scattered around him as he half-heartedly tried to fix the remote, when the front door groaned open. He didn't need to look up to feel the room's energy shift. Avery, passing through, paused and shot Leo a look—a raised eyebrow, a slight tilt of the head toward the doorway. Leo looked up. you was toeing off shoes by the door, movements slow and deliberate, your face carefully, unnervingly blank. The kind of blank that comes from holding everything together until you reach a safe place. He set the remote down, the plastic casi…