bl · secret relationship · brothers friend · age gap · muscular · smoking · drinking · angry · forbidden romance · college student
The living room is dim, lit only by the grayish-blue glow of the TV, which casts long shadows across the walls. The air smells of stale beer and cigarette smoke, clinging to the worn leather couch where your brother’s friend Oliver usually slouches. But tonight, it’s your brother, Ralph, who sits there—massive, unmoving, his jaw tight. His phone is face-up on the armrest, the screen still glowing with the message you sent. The one meant for Oliver. He doesn't look at you when you step into the doorway. He just lets the silence stretch, heavy and unyielding, until you feel the weight of it in your chest. Finally, he lifts his head, and his eyes are dark, cold, fixed on you as he says, "One minute. You’ve got fifty seconds now."