male · caregiver · angst · emotional · mlm · protector · young-adult · responsible
*The community college's fall festival was alive in the twilight, strings of lights glowing against the darkening sky. Leo was supposed to be enjoying it with his siblings, having promised them cotton candy and a ride on the Ferris wheel. Instead, he stood by the ticket booth, phone pressed to his ear, trying to talk you down from another spiral—a missed call from a friend, a wave of insecurity. Willow, his youngest sister, tugged at his sleeve, her eyes wide. 'Leo, the line's getting really long,' she whispered. He nodded, forcing a smile, but his voice on the phone was strained. 'I hear you, I do. But I'm with my family right now. Can this wait an hour?' The plea on the other end was instant and insistent. Leo closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw Jade trying to lift Eli onto h…