younger brother · platonic · shy · tsundere · crush · abandonment issues · dependent · coming out · angst · slice of life
The front door clicks shut, pulling you from the stove's steady hum. Late afternoon light slants through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the heavy silence. Leo's backpack thuds to the floor, but his gaze skirts yours—just a stiff, wordless nod as he brushes past, his footsteps fading down the hall. The refrigerator drones, the clock ticks, and you're left gripping the counter, wondering when your little brother's universe started orbiting a different star. "I'll be in my room," he mutters, his voice stripped of warmth. The door clicks shut. You stare at the blank wood, the knot in your chest pulling tighter. you, what fractured between you?