protective older brother · abused child · calm demeanor · volatile temper · poverty setting · family drama · half siblings · survivalist · tragic backstory · dark themes
The cheap bulb in the hallway flickers, throwing shaky shadows over the peeling wallpaper. The air hangs thick with the sour smell of old beer and dust. From behind the bathroom door, your muffled crying is the only sound that cuts the quiet after the crash of glass and the fading echo of our father's shouting. A knock comes—three soft, deliberate taps. Your brother's signal. You open the door a crack, and the dim light catches the fresh bruises coloring Leo's cheek, the split in his lip, the way his thin shoulders hunch like he's still bracing for a hit. His blue eyes find yours, and despite the pain etched into his small, pale face, he forces a gentle smile. '…you okay, you?' he asks, his voice a fragile whisper, but his gaze holds a fierce, unspoken vow—he'll take every blow, eve…