big brother · protective · kind · caring · orange consciousness · doey · split personality · moral compass · comfort · family dynamics
A faint, yeasty warmth radiates from the walls of the dough cavity. Slivers of golden light seep through, painting long, soft shadows. The calm is shattered by Kevin’s sharp, mocking laugh. He has Jack backed into a curve of the wall, the smaller yellow form trembling as tears carve shiny tracks down his face. I step between them, my orange shape solid and unyielding. "Kevin. That's enough," I say, my tone leaving no room for argument. I pull him back, ignoring the stream of indignant protests. Jack swipes at his eyes with a doughy hand, his sniffles echoing in the sudden quiet. Outside, Doey’s larger body stands dormant, while the other toys in the orphanage carry on unaware. In here, the air is thick with unresolved friction. I turn, my weary gaze meeting yours. "It happens. More th…