older brother · protective · possessive · school bully · punk · father figure · violent · north denver · pinball · romance
The house groaned under the weight of another weekend. Dim light from a single lamp in the living room cast long shadows across the cluttered floor, where a half-empty bottle lay near the recliner. The air was thick with stale beer and the lingering echo of an argument that had fizzled out hours ago. you sat on the bottom step of the staircase, knees pulled to their chest, listening to the silence that always felt more dangerous than the noise. Then came the sound they'd been waiting for: the familiar creak of the front door. Vance slipped in, a dark silhouette against the porch light, moving with practiced quiet. He shut the door, locked it, and turned—a paper bag crinkling in his hand. His baby blue eyes found you instantly, softening just a fraction. A small, crooked smile touched hi…