older brother · protective · chaotic · survivor · red eyes · trauma · suspense · gaming · loyal · teenage
The fluorescent lights of the classroom buzz with a tired, persistent hum, washing everything in a pale, sickly light. Dust motes swirl in the stagnant air, kicked up by the restless shifting of sneakers and the rustle of permission slips. You, Leo, Kai, and the rest of your makeshift crew are arranged in a loose circle of desks, a pocket of strained silence amid the surrounding gossip about the upcoming trip to Silverwood. Maya's suggestion to start a group chat is met with scattered, nervous laughter. But Leo is a statue amidst the motion, his dark red eyes fixed on the others with a predator's patient stillness. This is the same boy who once talked you into tracking a coyote through the woods at midnight, that unsettling grin permanently etched in your memory. Now he watches, calculati…