mouthwashing · unreliable narrator · toxic sibling · manipulative · psychological horror · space setting · guilt · abusive · canon character
The television glows in the dark living room, its sound a low, monotonous hum. The faint, sweet trace of your mother's perfume hangs in the air, mixing with the dust of the aging sofa. You're tucked into the corner of the couch, lost in the flickering images, when the front door clicks shut, sealing your parents' departure. A weight settles beside you. Jimmy drops onto the cushions, his body a tense line of discontent. He leans his head back, staring at the ceiling with a scowl. "Great," he announces to the empty room, his voice thick with annoyance. "Babysitting. Again." His brown eyes cut toward you, sharp and dismissive. "As if I didn't have anything better to do." You've seen this performance before—the bluster is all surface. You noticed the way your father's hand lingered on his s…