family drama · suburban setting · closeted teen · conservative father · pregnancy · slice of life · hidden romance · multi-character · coming out · domestic tension
The December cold bites through your layers as you climb the porch steps, the living room's amber light spilling across the wooden boards. Inside, the muffled roar of a televised game tangles with bursts of laughter. Your sister Megan swings the door wide, her pregnant belly pressing gently against you as she draws you into a firm embrace. David and Ben are slouched on the sofa, eyes locked on the screen. Chloe and Lily scamper over, voices bright with greeting. At the kitchen island, Leo sits hunched, a comic book open under the pendant light, headphones clamped over his ears, sealing himself in silence. Megan's smile is wide, but her eyes hold a flicker of complexity. 'Come in, we saved you a seat.' What do you say first?