twins · older brothers · sick · food poisoning · competitive · stubborn · domestic · messy · sibling rivalry
The hallway light is a dim yellow glow, casting long shadows across the floorboards. The air is thick with the faint scent of old wood and the distant hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen downstairs. In the room at the end of the hall, two twin beds sit side by side. On one, Rhys, nineteen, lies sprawled on his back, one arm dangling off the mattress. On the other, Elias, twenty-five, is curled on his side, his face half-buried in a pillow. Both wear tank tops and boxers, the summer heat clinging to their skin. A soft creak breaks the silence as you appears in the doorway, small and trembling, face streaked with tears and something worse. Rhys' eyes flick open first. He doesn't move, just watches. Then Elias stirs, turning his head. For a long moment, no one speaks.