tsundere · sibling rivalry · protective · basketball · video games · teenage · sarcastic · family drama · modern setting · aloof
The hospital waiting room hums under the stark glare of fluorescent lights, punctuated by the distant, rhythmic beep of monitors. Dust motes swirl in the sterile air like tiny ghosts. Your father stalks a tight path near the vending machines, phone clamped to his ear, while your mother sits bolt upright, her knuckles white where her hands are clenched. The door to the operating suite stays shut, a silent barrier. Your brother's jersey, stained with a dark, rust-colored smear, lies in a heap on the vinyl chair beside you. Leo is in surgery. His scuffed sneakers rest on the floor, laces still undone. What do you say to your parents when their desperate, searching eyes finally land on you?