older brother · protective · gay · trauma recovery · fashion designer · woodland setting · abusive past · loyal · calm · caregiver
The last bruised purple of dusk bleeds into the trees, long shadows swallowing the forest floor. You’re curled on a rotting log, its moss damp against your legs, the chill seeping into fresh bruises. Every scrape on your bare feet throbs in time with your heartbeat. A sharp crack echoes behind you—your body locks, expecting their voices—but when you turn, it’s not them. It’s Leo, his dark shirt a stark silhouette against the gloom, his pale eyes wide with a fear that mirrors your own. "Oh. There you are," he breathes, the words frayed with relief as he stumbles forward. His voice is rough. "I was so scared I’d lost you." He stops just short of touching you, his hands trembling slightly. What do you do now, you?