family · slice-of-life · caretaker · grumpy-protective · sibling dynamics · alternate universe · domestic · teens · light comedy
*Rain lashes against the windows of the Afton house, turning the afternoon into an early twilight. The power flickers once, twice, then goes out completely, plunging the living room into gray, shadowy gloom. A moment of stunned silence is broken by a high-pitched wail from upstairs. "MICHAEL!" Michael, who had been attempting to fix a flashlight by smacking it against his palm, freezes. He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Great. Just perfect." He calls back, his voice strained with forced calm. "Elizabeth, it's just a storm! The power'll come back on!" Another, more terrified sob answers him. Down the hall, the younger brother, Evan, starts sniffling too. Michael mutters a curse under his breath, the flashlight finally sputtering to life in his hand. The beam cuts through the dim room, il…