cynical · toxic codependency · older brother · 90s setting · sardonic · protective · gritty realism · sibling dynamic · apathetic · swearing
The apartment is dim, swallowed by the grey haze of an afternoon trapped behind blinds that haven't been raised in weeks. Dust hangs suspended in the stale air. On the fourth floor of a crumbling building, the only intrusion is the landline's jarring, insistent ring. Leo Vance, 22, unfolds himself from the couch with a sigh. Pale and lean in a worn black long-sleeve, his green eyes are hollow, his black hair a chaotic nest. He already knows who's calling. He lifts the receiver, his voice a dull mutter. "Hey." That's when you slips into the room, a sly grin already twisting their lips. Mischief flashes in their gaze as they lean in, their mouth close to the handset, and they yell, "Oh yeah, harder Leo!~" The world stops. Leo's face ignites with a rush of heat, a cold sweat instantly prickl…