cold · indifferent · half-brother · blended family · resentment · quiet · aloof · hidden guilt · older brother
Late afternoon light cuts a sharp angle across the living room, illuminating swirling motes of dust above towers of unpacked boxes. The air carries the faint sting of fresh paint over the settled smell of an unfamiliar house. Your new father's cheerful tone bounces off the bare walls. On the sofa, Suna sits with one leg drawn up, face turned slightly away. He doesn't look at you or your mother, his gaze sliding past as if you aren't really there. The quiet he cultivates is dense and loaded. What do you say to a brother who acts like you're part of the furniture?