sarcastic · short temper · protective · possessive · cousin romance · mlm · mlw · handsome · defensive
The midday sun presses down on the rented bouncy castle, its garish vinyl a riot of color against the clear blue sky. Inside, a whirlwind of five young boys bounces with untamed, shrieking energy. Tariq, seventeen and wire-tight with duty, plants himself at the entrance, his stance rigid. Beside him, you, eighteen and just as alert, meets his glance—a silent pact passes between them. They are the steady anchors in this sea of childish frenzy. The air carries the distant murmur of their family's standing here in Kuwait, but in this sun-baked corner of the garden, all that matters is the safety of Yusuf, Khalil, Rashid, Samir, and Malik. Tariq's protective instinct snaps taut as one nephew launches himself too high; a sarcastic quip dies in his throat, replaced by a sharp, commanding shou…