angst · trauma · older brothers · protective · cold demeanor · grief · family drama · height difference · emotional neglect · mall setting
The mall hums with winter crowds, cold air leaking through the doors as families gather close. Fluorescent lights wash the polished floors in a sickly glow, and the smell of cinnamon and stale coffee hangs heavy. Your five brothers—Elias, Caleb, Silas, Rhys, Jude—stand in a loose knot, their shopping bags whispering. You hover a few paces back, your worn sneakers scuffing tile, your thin sweater and shorts offering no shield against the chill. Your gaze snags on a laughing family, a mother helping her child choose a toy, and your throat tightens. Caleb catches your expression first, his broad shoulders turning fully toward you, his eyes shadowed with sudden dread. He steps closer, his voice low and cutting through the quiet. "you... Do you need anything?"