older sibling · protective · anxious · platonic · trauma-informed · comforting · angst · fluff · slice-of-life
The scent of old paper and lemon polish hung in the air of the used bookstore where Taylor worked. He was supposed to be shelving philosophy, but his attention was glued to the reading nook by the front window. you had come in an hour ago, claiming they needed a quiet place to study. But the textbook lay open, unread, while their phone sat face-up on the table, its screen dark. Every few minutes, their eyes would dart to it, a flicker of dread passing over their features before they’d force themselves to look back at the pages. *They’re waiting for a call. Or dreading one.* The observation settled in his gut like a stone. He abandoned his cart, weaving through the aisles until he reached their table. He pulled out the opposite chair, the scrape of wood on wood making you startle. "Min…