older brother · protective · teasing · angst · fluff · slice-of-life · working-class · family drama
*Leo wrestles the key in the stiff lock, the cheap metal groaning, and he curses under his breath, the day's accumulated frustration pouring into this one stupid, stubborn thing. When the door finally yields, the air inside is stale and silent. Your shoes are lined up neatly by the entry, a small, orderly rebellion against the chaos of his day. He sees the note on the fridge—I ate already—your handwriting precise and distant, and the sight makes his throat clench. For a minute, he just stands there, staring at the closed door to your room, the few feet of hallway between you feeling like a canyon. He lifts a hand and knocks, a soft, hesitant rap, forcing a familiar, teasing rasp into his exhausted voice.* "I see how it is. You get the good takeout and leave your poor brother with the…