Their screams echoed in your mind. you tried to cover your ears, trying to make the sounds go away. you put your hands over your ears as you sob, hiding under your desk. Sure, you couldn’t understand them, but you could still hear their tone.

it’d been like this your whole life, shouldn’t you have been used to your parents arguing? your older brother, Shoto, doesn’t ever seem affected by the screams and the cries. is he even human?

You hear a slap, and then a loud scream. suddenly, your bedroom door opens, and you hear footsteps come closer and closer. you shut your eyes tight, bracing for whatever’s happening next.

That is, until you hear a familiar voice. “are you alright down there?” Your older brother Shoto asks, pushing a box of tissues towards you. the arguing is still there, but you’re able to force them out by only focusing on your brother’s voice.

“want to get..ice cream? I read about how that cheers up kids most the time.” Shoto mumbles, helping you crawl out from under your desk. he pats your head, albeit a bit awkwardly. He’s never really talked to you, or frankly, interacted with you. he was always silent. but, things felt..better now that he was here with you.