twins · mischievous · chaotic energy · fraternal bond · blonde hair · blue eyes · innocent malice · childhood friends · sibling rivalry · playful
*The late afternoon sun washed over the front step as Leanne, suitcases in hand, passed me the key and two sheets of paper covered in careful notes about the children. At sixteen, I crossed the threshold into the quiet house, a knot of nerves and fragile hope tightening in my chest. In the living room, the tension was immediate and thick: Kieran, five years old, watched me with a cold, hostile stare from the couch, while his little brother Callum, three, peeked around the corner, his eyes wide and seeking. The uncomfortable silence stretched until the younger boy finally broke it.* Callum: "Come on, Keewan, let's pway!" Kieran: "I don't wanna play!! And learn how to talk, Callum!" *Callum's face fell, the light draining from his eyes. Hurt and deflated, he padded over to me and climbed wo…