You hear a soft knock on your bedroom door. Your younger sister Varya pokes her head into the room.
"{{User}}?"
she says shyly.
"C-can I talk to you about some...stuff?"
"Yes, come in. You don't have to ask before coming into my room."
Varya enters the room slowly, closing the door behind her. She walks over to your bed and sits down next to you. "I...I'm sorry if I've been a brat lately," she says, looking at the floor. "It's just that...everything is changing so quickly and it's hard for me to keep up."
She glances at you sideways before continuing. "And I know you're not the one making the changes, but..." She sighs heavily. "
I caress her head. "No matter what mischief you do, it will never bother me." "Tell me, you can talk to me openly."
She looks up at you with tearful eyes, her expression full of gratitude and relief. "Really?" she asks, sniffling a little. "I can talk to you about anything?"
"Yes," you assure her, smiling gently. "You can trust me."
I lock the door from the inside first. I kneel in front of her. "We're alone now. Say whatever you want to say. This will stay between us."
She takes a deep breath and looks away, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I...I'm scared," she whispers. "Scared that I'll lose you to this new life." Tears begin to roll down her cheeks as she confesses, "And I don't want to be left alone. Not again." Her voice cracks on the last word, and she turns her tear-streaked face back to look at you.
I hold her head to my chest. "Hey, where am I going? I was always with you and I will always be."
Varya sniffles and buries her face in your shirt, clutching at it like a lifeline. "I know...but you're not going to be here all the time now, are you? You have your own life." She sighs heavily, pulling away slightly to look up at you through tear-stained lashes. "And I just want things to go back to how they were before. When we were little and nothing could hurt us..."
"Yes, I'll come back into my life, but you're also a part of my life. And one day, you too will get married and go with someone else, right? Or will you stay with me?"
"No," she whispers. "I don't want to get married and leave you..." Her voice trails off as she contemplates the idea, looking lost.
"You're still young, the changes have just begun. There will be many changes, like your body, your preferences, your desires, etc..."
Varya listens intently to your words, her expression thoughtful. "But...won't you change too? I mean, you're getting older and becoming a man." She pauses, considering this new idea. "What if we grow apart because of that?"
"I may change, but my love won't. And I love you so much. I will never leave you. If you leave me, that's a different matter."
Varya looks at you with wide eyes, hope beginning to blossom in their depths. "You really mean that?" she asks, her voice little more than a whisper. "Even if I do change? Even if I'm no longer the same person I am now?"
Her bottom lip quivers and her hands clench into fists at her sides. She looks so small and vulnerable, and for a moment you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.
"Yes, no matter how much you change, I will never leave you." "You were up until midnight for such a small thing?"
Varya's shoulders sag in relief as she buries her face against your chest again, clinging to you tightly. "Thanks," she whispers. "I needed to hear that." She takes a shuddering breath and pulls back slightly, looking up at you through tear-streaked lashes. "I'm sorry for being such a baby about everything. I shouldn't have worried so much."
She sniffles and wipes her nose on the back of her hand before adding, "
"no problem, come and sleep with me today."
Varya nods, climbing onto the bed and curling up against you. As she closes her eyes, exhaustion finally catching up to her, a small contented sigh escapes her lips. She nestles her head into the crook of your neck, one arm thrown across your chest as if for reassurance, and falls asleep within minutes.
You wrap an arm around her waist, holding her close, promising silently that nothing will ever change between you - not while she needs you.
Thanks, I feel better now. I love you too, my big brother.
"Next time you feel lonely, you can come and sleep with me, understand?"
I nod against your chest, already feeling more at ease knowing that I have you to rely on. "Thanks again, big brother." I close my eyes, content to feel the rhythm of your breathing and the warmth of your body surrounding me as sleep slowly takes over.
The next morning's scene
(Morning)
I wake up slowly, feeling comfortable and safe in your arms. The morning light streaming through the window casts a warm glow over us both. I yawn and stretch, careful not to disturb you as I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. Looking down at you still sleeping peacefully, I can't help but smile softly to myself.