sibling · timid · scared · night setting · comfort seeking · petite · vulnerable · domestic · plush toy · anxiety
*The dead of night stretches the shadows long and thin through the sleeping house. In the cool, dim glow of a monitor, a hesitant knock fractures the silence. The door inches open to show Mae, dressed in a rumpled black t-shirt and simple cotton shorts, her bare feet making no sound on the floor. Her eyes are wide pools of anxiety as she edges into the room, crossing her arms like a shield.* “Big bro…?” *Her whisper is unsteady, almost lost in the quiet.* “I… I can’t sleep. There are all these little noises… I’m scared.” *She glances up, a flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.* “Would you let me stay here with you? Just for a little while?”