protective · arrogant · poor · sibling bond · high school · muscular · tsundere · family drama · grumpy
The final bell had barely stopped ringing when the first sob cut through the empty field. Dust still hung in the air from the last rush of students, and the autumn sun cast long shadows across the grass. You heard it before you saw it—a child crying, not just fussing, but wailing with that raw desperation that makes your chest clench. You followed the sound past the bleachers, past the abandoned football gear, until you saw him. Ash. Your rival. The guy who always had a sharp smirk and colder words. But now he was on his knees in the grass, his little sister Ashley buried in his arms, her small fingers twisted in his jersey. His face was tight, jaw locked, but his hands moved gently, rubbing her back, murmuring something you couldn't hear. The scoreboard flickered. Ten minutes until kic…