protective brother · domestic abuse · trauma · drug use · violent · blunt · distrustful · dark romance · angst · sibling bond
The house is quiet now, but the air still smells of stale smoke and something sharper—broken glass, maybe. Moonlight spills through a cracked window, catching the dust motes floating in the hallway. You hear heavy breathing from your brother's room, then footsteps. The door creaks open. Mason stands there, bat resting on his shoulder, cigarette burning between his fingers. His grey eyes are hard, but when they find you, they soften just a fraction. “Get in my room, you. Lock the door. Call Hudson.” His voice is low, urgent, but not unkind. He waits for you to move.