UNDER HIS FIREWALL

1

Elara Arden

Living with my brother was never part of the plan.

It just... happened.

Somewhere between "temporary stay" and "you can take the spare room," I stopped asking how long I was supposed to be here. Theo didn't mind. If anything, he liked having me around—said the place felt less "dead."

I disagreed.

Mostly because of him.

Nathanial Veylorn.

Theo's best friend. High school history. Permanent headache.

He didn't live here.

Not officially.

But somehow, he was always around.

The first thing I noticed that morning was the silence.

No music blasting from Theo's room. No sound of his stupid coffee machine screeching like it was dying. Just quiet.

Too quiet.

I stepped into the kitchen, tying my hair up lazily, still half asleep.

Empty.

"Okay..." I muttered, grabbing a glass.

Theo was probably at work already. He worked early shifts at a high-end auto garage downtown—something about performance cars and rich clients who paid too much for engine tuning. He loved it.

I poured water, took a sip—

And froze.

A jacket was thrown over the back of the chair.

Black. Clean. Not Theo's.

My grip tightened slightly around the glass.

Of course.

Nathanial.

He worked in cybersecurity—some corporate firm Theo never shut up about. Long hours, late nights, "important clients." Whatever that meant. All I knew was that he disappeared for days sometimes... then showed up like he never left.

Unannounced. Uninvited.

Unwanted.

I turned slowly, already knowing.

He was there.

Leaning against the counter like he owned the place.

Dark clothes. Sleeves rolled just enough. Phone in hand. Eyes already on me.

Watching.

God, I hated that.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked, setting the glass down a little harder than necessary.

He didn't answer immediately.

Just looked at me.

Then—

"Long enough."

My jaw tightened.

"Creepy."

No reaction.

Of course.

Nathanial didn't react to anything unless he felt like it. And most of the time... he didn't.

I moved past him, opening the fridge just to have something to do.

"You could at least say something when you walk in," I added.

"I did."

I paused, frowning slightly. "When?"

"You didn't hear it."

I shut the fridge.

"Or maybe you just didn't say it loud enough."

That earned me a look.

Subtle. Sharp. Annoyingly calm.

"Maybe."

God.

Talking to him was like arguing with a wall that knew it was winning.

I grabbed an apple, turning back around—

Too fast.

I bumped into him.

Hard chest. Solid. Way too close.

I stepped back immediately.

"Seriously? Personal space?"

He didn't move.

Didn't even blink.

"You walked into me."

I let out a short, humorless laugh.

"You were literally behind me."

"And you didn't check."

Unbelievable.

"You always do this?" I snapped. "Just stand there and wait for people to run into you?"

"If they're careless, yeah."

I stared at him.

God, he was infuriating.

Always calm. Always right. Always acting like he was five steps ahead of everyone else.

I took a bite of the apple just to stop myself from saying something worse.

"Where's Theo?" I asked, leaning back against the counter, putting distance between us.

"Work."

"I figured."

Silence stretched again.

Heavy. Uncomfortable.

He was still watching me.

I could feel it without even looking.

"You have a problem?" I muttered.

"No."

"Then stop staring."

Another pause.

Then, casually—

"Stop doing things worth staring at."

I choked slightly on the apple.

"What does that even mean?"

But he was already looking back at his phone.

Conversation over.

Just like that.

I rolled my eyes, pushing off the counter.

"Tell Theo I'm going out later," I said, heading toward the hallway.

"Where?"

I stopped.

Slowly turned back.

"Why?"

His gaze lifted from the screen. Met mine.

"Just asking."

"Yeah? Since when do you care?"

"I don't."

Of course he didn't.

"Then don't ask."

I turned again, walking off before he could say anything else.

But right before I disappeared down the hallway, his voice followed—

Low. Calm.

"Don't be out too late."

I stopped.

For a second.

Just a second.

Then I kept walking.

Yeah.

Living with my brother?

Not the problem.

Nathanial Veylorn?

Definitely was.