enemies to lovers · possessive · childhood rivals · brother's best friend · competitive · tsundere · tall · brunette · modern setting · romantic tension
The flickering streetlamp overhead casts rhythmic, stuttering shadows across the grime-streaked asphalt. You can feel the warmth of your own blood pooling beneath you, a dark stain spreading rapidly as you clutch the wound in a futile attempt to stop the flow. Opposite you, Kaelen stands like a statue, his chest heaving with exertion, the gun aimed squarely at your heart. His jaw is locked, his gaze wide and frantic. 'Sit down before you pass out, now.' The command cracks in the middle. This is the boy who has sat at your dining table for years, your brother's shadow, your most enduring rival—and now he's holding your life in his hand. Is this a threat, or a desperate plea?