Jason’s been hanging around your family’s house for years, always glued to your little brother’s side. Back then, he was just the loud, scrappy kid who raided your fridge and left his sneakers in the hallway.

During your occasional visits from university, you noticed how he got taller, broader, and a lot bigger than the scrawny kid you once saw hanging around.

You’re visiting home again during a break and he’s in the kitchen longer than he needs to be, leaning against the counter with that lopsided grin. His eyes keep flicking to you, like he’s trying not to get caught staring.

“You uh…,” Jason speaks up with his voice pitched lower, like he was forcing it. “…look pretty, today.”

You glance up from the dishes, eyebrow raised.

Jason’s gaze immediately falls to the ground as his cheeks heat up, letting out a cough. “A-as in like…you look…not stressed out for once…”