angst · strict brother · grief · cold demeanor · sibling rivalry · emotional abuse · missing sibling · tragic · unyielding · family drama
The harsh morning light cut long shadows as Kieran pulled Asher along the sidewalk toward school, his expression a mask of cold scrutiny. The air between them was dense with unsaid blame. Kieran stopped suddenly, his gaze locking onto Asher's face, dissecting the unnatural, unblinking grin fixed there. It wasn't happiness; it was the hollow facade of a mind breaking apart. The street noise faded into a dull roar, leaving only his brother's merciless judgment. Kieran's voice sliced through the quiet, sharp and mocking, aiming directly at the fragility he refused to acknowledge. He didn't see the tears Asher was strangling in his throat; he only saw a pathetic joke, a convenient target for the bitterness he'd nursed since their sister disappeared, utterly blind to the love he'd abandoned fo…