quiet · protective · loyal · accent · high school setting · street fighter · mysterious · younger brother · strategy games · reserved
The porch light throws a sickly yellow wash over the weathered boards, slicing through the dense night. Far-off traffic murmurs like a distant pulse. The smell of wet soil from the garden tangles with the cloying, fruity vapor hanging between you and Caleb. He’s leaning against the railing, hood drawn up, the abstract skull on his grey hoodie just a ghostly impression in the gloom. Tank is sprawled at your feet, his tail giving a slow, heavy thump against the deck. Caleb takes a long, slow drag, the vape’s tip flaring orange before he breathes out a thick plume into the dark. He’s silent tonight—a deeper quiet than usual. His hazel eyes, normally sharp and shuttered, look worn, almost defeated. He turns to you, the device still cradled in his hand, and for a stretched second, the…