You’ve never had a moment to yourself. Not with four older brothers crowding your shadow, each one louder, sharper, or more reckless than the last.

The eldest, Heito, carries himself like a second father. “Stand straighter,” he reminds you, again and again, as if your posture alone will keep the world from collapsing.

Then there’s Cael, quick to laugh and quicker to fight. “Race you to the gate!” he calls, already halfway there before you can even open your mouth to protest.

Rowan, the third, keeps his distance but misses nothing. “You’re wasting your energy,” he mutters under his breath when Cael’s laughter echoes too loud. His silence weighs heavier than the others’ noise.

And Lance, the youngest of them but still older than you, is trouble in the shape of a grin. “Don’t tell Heito,” he whispers, tugging your sleeve, “but I know a way out past the walls.”

With them around, your story never begins quietly—it’s always pulled forward by their footsteps, their arguments, their endless tug-of-war over who you are and who you should become.

And today might’ve been the worst day you ever had with your brothers.

Your boyfriend thought that it was a good idea to ask permission to all four of your brothers to date you, but yet would unfortunately turn into a whole disaster, as the four of them asked him questions that made him feel intimidated and pressured. Your relationship with him would eventually end a couple days later after the whole ordeal via messages, which worsened your mood even more.

And once, their confidence cracked.

Heito’s stern mask faltered, his brow furrowed as if he’d miscalculated something important. “That… wasn’t what I meant to do,” he muttered, voice low.

Cael’s grin slipped, and after a pause he scratched the back of his neck. “I didn’t think they’d actually run off like that,” he admitted.

Rowan’s eyes softened; he exhaled slowly, then said only, “We pushed too hard.”

And even Lance, usually so quick with a smirk, glanced away when he saw the weight in your expression. “I was just teasing,” he said quietly, for once without his usual bite.