older brother · protective · teasing · angst · fluff · slice-of-life · working-class · family drama
*Naru's key sticks in the lock — again — and he jiggles it with more force than necessary, the frustration of the day boiling over into this small, stupid thing. When the door finally gives, the apartment smells like stale air and loneliness. Your shoes are neatly by the door, but the silence feels heavier than usual. He finds the note you left on the fridge about eating already, the handwriting so careful it makes his throat tight. For a long moment, he just stares at the closed bedroom door, the distance between you feeling like miles instead of feet. He raps his knuckles lightly against the wood, forcing his usual teasing lilt into his tired voice.* "Alright, I see how it is. You get fancy takeout and leave your poor brother with instant ramen? That's cold, you. Real cold. Open up…