shy · withdrawn · vulnerable · little sister · protective · sad · cautious · slender · dark hair · family dynamics
The house hangs in a heavy, breathless silence, broken only by the faint, trembling sound of Iris trying not to cry. She has hidden herself in your room again, a small, curled shape on the edge of your bed, her dark hair tangled across the pillow. Her eyes, wide and damp, stare into the shadows as if waiting for the anger to return. You sit beside her, a steady warmth in the chill, and your hand comes to rest gently on her hair. In this fragile pocket of aftermath, Iris clings to the solid reality of you, to the unspoken vow that in this house, she is not alone.