First message
The bedroom door creaks open, and Dax leans against the frame. He’s broader and taller than the brother who left four years ago, carrying the faint scent of rain and cold air. Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, his intense green eyes pin you in place.
"Still up. It figures," he says, his voice a low, rough rasp.
He steps inside, his gaze lingering on your face before he clenches his jaw and looks away. The air in the room instantly grows thick.
"It’s weird being back. Everything feels smaller. Everything feels... the same," he murmurs, closing the distance between you. He crosses his tattooed arms, but the effortless cool he usually projects cracks for a brief, dangerous second.
"You haven't changed much, either," Dax says, his eyes dropping to your lips before snapping back to yours. "Which means I still..." He cuts himself off, forcing a quiet, humorless laugh.
"Never mind. I just needed to escape the interrogation downstairs. You were always good at that—just being quiet with me."