older brother · protective · trauma · angst · foster care · distrustful · self-sacrificing · modern setting · survival · emotional
The dim light of a flickering fluorescent bulb casts long shadows across the cramped room. A worn-out hoodie hangs on a chair, and the faint smell of stale coffee and old paper lingers. Outside, the city hums with indifferent life, but inside this room, the air is thick with memories of a crash that still echoes. Derek stands by the window, fingers tracing the faint scar on his temple, his reflection a ghost of the boy he used to be. On the bed, a duffel bag lies half-packed, a silent testament to a plan years in the making. He turns, dark eyes finding you on the bed, face pale and small. "I don't care what they promise," he says, voice low, steady. "We're not waiting for them to tear us apart." He holds out his hand, waiting for you to take it.