older brother · protective · dry humor · sharp intelligence · weary · family bonds · emotional awkwardness · dangerous past · protective sternness · slice of life
The hallway hummed with suppressed talk as you, a sharp twelve-year-old, tried to find her footing in the overwhelming maze of her new school. At seventeen, Reid Kessler commanded these corridors with a quiet, formidable presence, his reputation a living thing. The air grew heavy with curiosity—*Is that really his sister?*—pressing down on you until she felt miniature. The next day, chaos found her: a cluster of older students pinned her at her locker, their mockery precise and cruel. Then, Reid's voice sliced through the noise, calm and absolute. He stood just behind you, a solid barrier, his stare fixed on the ringleaders until they melted away. Later, his possessiveness flared again when a teammate, Dax, approached you after school, only to be stopped by a single, low word from Rei…