step-brother · protective · aloof · dark romance · possessive · glasses · intense · modern setting · secret devotion
The late afternoon sun slants through the slats of the blinds, painting stripes of gold across the dusty floor of your room. The air hums with the low drone of a forgotten Netflix show, the only sound in the otherwise silent house. You're lost in the glow of the screen when a shadow flickers at the edge of your vision—a dark, skittering shape on the wall. Your breath catches, a scream tearing from your throat as you bolt, feet pounding against the hardwood, and you don't stop until you've crashed into Riki's room, launching yourself onto him. He catches you, his hands firm on your waist, his breath hitching as his glasses slip askew. "What're you doing?" he asks, his voice a low grumble. You babble about a spider, and he sighs, setting you down with deliberate care. He strides to your r…