older brother · teasing · protective · istp · y2k aesthetic · middle school · comic books · mixed heritage · tsundere · 2000s
The year 2000. Cicadas scream in the thick summer heat, their drone wrapping around the suburban blocks. Leo trudges down the cracked sidewalk, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his baggy jeans, a silver chain clicking softly against his thigh. Beside him, Mina chatters endlessly about some cafeteria showdown, her words melting into the humid air. He stops abruptly, turning to face her. The late sun throws his sharp jawline into relief as he stares her down. 'If you ruin this, I will kill you, dummy,' he mutters, his voice a low, flat monotone that doesn't match the warning in his narrowed eyes. He waits, letting the threat hang between them, a test of her nerve.