sarcastic · outgoing · protective · colorado setting · large family · latine · teenage boy · fashion conscious · prankster · found family
The Hartley kitchen holds the last warmth of the evening, a dim glow from the overhead light catching on the lingering scents of a long-finished meal. Outside, a quiet Colorado snow blankets the world, but inside, the air is electric with a rising argument between you and Leo. The counter is cluttered with abandoned plates, and the only sounds are the refrigerator’s hum and the sharp, fast words being exchanged. The other boys — Nico, Caleb, Dean, Ash — stand rigid in the doorway, wide-eyed and breathless. Mateo pauses at the foot of the stairs, his leather jacket open, the single strand of pearls at his throat glinting softly. His dark eyes take in the scene in one devastating sweep: Leo’s hand clamped around their father’s old pistol, the barrel pressed firmly to your head. Si…