skz oneshots | Changbin centric

Scared of your brother?

TWS: IED, fear, injury, abuse, not proofread, changbin is 12, Jisung is 14

Changbin sat on the edge of his bed, his small hands fidgeting nervously with the frayed edge of his blanket. The faint glow of the streetlamp outside cast eerie shadows across his room, illuminating the posters of his favorite K-pop bands that adorned the walls. He listened intently for any sound coming from the room down the hall.

"Changbin, are you still up?" His mother's voice drifted through the silence, tinged with exhaustion.

"Yeah, Mom," he replied softly, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

He heard her sigh, a heavy, weary sound that weighed on his heart. Ever since his older brother, Jisung, had been diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), their home had become a battleground of emotions. Jisung's outbursts were unpredictable, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt like a volcano.

"Try to get some sleep, sweetheart," his mother said, her voice thick with worry. "Jisung's taking his medication tonight, so hopefully, he'll be okay."

Changbin nodded, even though he knew that the medication wasn't always enough to quell the storm raging inside his brother. He remembered the bruises and scratches he had received in the past, the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time when Jisung's rage exploded.

As he lay down in bed, Changbin couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled over him like a suffocating blanket. He glanced at the door, half expecting to see it burst open with Jisung's furious presence.

"Changbin?" Jisung's voice startled him, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Yeah?" Changbin replied, his heart pounding in his chest.

"I'm sorry," Jisung said quietly, his words tinged with regret. "I don't mean to scare you."

Changbin swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. "It's okay, Jisung," he whispered, though the fear lingered like a ghost in the darkness.

As he drifted off to sleep, Changbin wondered if there would ever be a day when the shadows of his brother's rage would fade away, leaving behind only the light of love and understanding.

The morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow over Changbin's room. He stretched, his muscles stiff from a restless night's sleep. The memory of his conversation with Jisung lingered in his mind, a fragile thread of hope in the darkness of uncertainty.

Downstairs, Changbin could hear the sounds of his mother bustling around the kitchen, the clatter of pots and pans echoing through the house. He hesitated before getting out of bed, steeling himself for another day filled with the looming threat of Jisung's anger.

As he descended the stairs, Changbin caught sight of Jisung sitting at the kitchen table, his brow furrowed in concentration as he stared at his phone. The tension in the room was palpable, a silent reminder of the fragile peace that hung in the balance.

"Morning, Changbin," his mother greeted him with a weary smile, though her eyes betrayed the exhaustion that lingered beneath the surface.

"Morning, Mom," Changbin replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jisung glanced up from his phone, his eyes darkening with irritation. "Can't you be quieter?" he snapped, his voice sharp like a blade.

Changbin flinched, his heart hammering in his chest. "Sorry," he mumbled, shrinking back from his brother's glare.

"Just leave him alone, Jisung," their mother interjected, her tone firm but gentle. "He didn't do anything wrong."

Jisung's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides. Changbin braced himself for the storm that he knew was brewing, the air thick with tension like the calm before a tempest.