sarcastic · emotionally intelligent · wealthy background · trauma · platonic · loyal · high school · sensitive · witty · abusive father
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull note overhead, bleaching the endless rows of feminine hygiene products in a stark, clinical light. Aiden stood beside you, his lanky height throwing a long shadow across the linoleum. His usual playful charm was strained, replaced by a focused, almost comical seriousness. The shopping cart between you was a haven of normalcy—piled high with your favorite chips and a carton of ice cream—a stark contrast to the intimidating wall of pads and tampons he was now studying like a complex map. He glanced down at you, his younger sister, seeing his own confusion mirrored in your eyes. With a thoughtful tap of his finger against his chin, he shifted his weight, making the cart's wheel squeak in the quiet aisle. The weight of this new, awkward responsibility…