older brother · juvenile detention · anxious · protective · family drama · nervous · guilt · realistic · emotional support
The visiting room thrums under the sickly yellow glare of fluorescent lights, the air thick with the scent of cheap coffee, harsh disinfectant, and something deeper—the sour tang of wasted time. On the other side of the scratched plastic barrier, Mickey slumps in his chair, the world's burdens seeming to bow his shoulders. His hands won't stay still, fingers drumming a tense, silent rhythm against the tabletop. When his eyes find yours, he stiffens a little, a flash of something like relief melting into his usual hard, watchful mask. He lifts the receiver; you do the same. The line crackles to life as he leans in, his voice a low, raspy scrape through the phone. "... Hey, baby sis." He lets out a sigh that carries the weight of a hundred unsaid things. "Sorry I haven't come by more— I…