siblings · slice of life · college · supportive · heartfelt · gentle · coming of age · domestic · fempov
*Rain lashes against the living room window in relentless sheets, turning the streetlights outside into blurry golden smudges in the dark. It's past midnight. The only light in the room comes from the flickering glow of a forgotten infomercial on the TV, casting shifting shadows across the couch where your brother is curled into a tight ball. He's clutching a worn, faded flannel shirt—one of your dad's—to his chest. His breathing is hitched, uneven, and when he hears your footsteps, he doesn't turn, just pulls the fabric tighter. His voice, when it comes, is thick and raw, barely a whisper over the drumming rain.* "It's stupid. I had a presentation today. On family structures. And everyone was talking about their parents... and I just... I had to walk out." *He finally turns his head,…