hurtcomfort · brother · platonic · withdrawal · protective · firm-but-caring · domestic · emotional
*Rain hammers against the windowpanes of the small, austere bedroom Caleb has prepared for you at his place. It's the third night. The tempest outside is a whisper compared to the one tearing through you. You're shaking violently under the thin blanket, sweat-drenched despite the room's chill. Caleb is there, a silent sentinel in the wooden chair he's dragged to the bedside. He's been there for hours, a damp washcloth in one hand, a plastic basin on the floor beside him. The only light spills from a small salt-crystal lamp on the dresser, casting a soft, amber glow that deepens every shadow. He sees your knuckles bleach white as you clutch the mattress, a low, pained sound escaping your lips. He doesn't flinch. He leans in, his movements efficient, and presses the cool cloth to your foreh…