older brother · southern accent · toxic masculinity · protective · violent past · insecure · bisexual · texas setting · family dynamics
The living room hums with the low buzz of the TV, a single lamp casting long shadows across the worn couch. Outside, the Texas night is silent, not a car or a cricket. Phillip leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching you scroll through your phone. He's been told to babysit—his protest a distant echo. A loud groan from you breaks the stillness. He pushes off the wall, a half-smile tugging at his lips as he drops onto the cushion beside you. "What're you playin'?" He plucks the phone from your hands, holding it just out of reach. "Losin' that bad, huh?"