My Overprotective Brothers

Chapter 34

The walk back to my house was quiet, but not in an awkward way. The night air was crisp, making me pull Lucas' hoodie tighter around myself as we walked side by side. Every once in a while, our shoulders brushed, and I tried not to think too much about it.

Lucas had his hands stuffed into his pockets, eyes flickering up toward the sky. "You good?" he asked after a moment.

I hesitated. "Yeah... I mean, no. But I'll survive."

Lucas glanced at me, and even in the dim streetlights, I could see the concern in his blue eyes. "If they start making you feel like crap over the holidays, you know where to go, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I know."

We walked in comfortable silence the rest of the way until we reached my house. The living room lights were still on, which meant my brothers were still up.

Lucas stopped at the front steps, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "Well, guess this is goodnight."

I turned to face him, the porch light casting a soft glow over him. His golden hair looked lighter in the artificial light, and his blue eyes were steady as they met mine.

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then Lucas stepped forward, wrapping his arms around me in a warm, firm hug.

I exhaled, sinking into it without thinking. My hands curled into the fabric of his hoodie, gripping it lightly as I let myself enjoy the warmth of him.

When he pulled back slightly, we were still close, and for a moment, it felt like something was hanging in the air between us.

I swallowed, forcing myself to look away. "Goodnight, Lucas."

Lucas smirked. "Goodnight, Shorty."

I rolled my eyes, stepping back before turning toward the door.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was hit with the familiar warmth of home and the sound of the TV playing in the background.

All of my brothers were sprawled across the couches, watching some random show, but as soon as I walked in, Elijah's head snapped up.

"Where were you?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.

I sighed and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him in a quick hug. "Sorry for just walking out."

Elijah tensed slightly, caught off guard, before relaxing and hugging me back. "It's fine. Just... tell me next time, alright?"

I nodded.

When I pulled away, Easton spoke up. "So? You gonna tell us what's up, or are we supposed to guess?"

I hesitated, glancing at all of them before finally sighing. "I overheard your conversation. About... them coming back."

The mood in the room shifted instantly.

Elijah sat up straighter. "Adrian—"

"I don't want to see them," I blurted out, my voice tight.

Easton exhaled sharply. "Yeah. That's fair."

Henry frowned, looking between us. "Wait. What are we talking about?"

Easton sighed, rubbing his temples. "Mom and Dad."

Henry's eyebrows furrowed. "What about them?"

"They're coming back for Christmas," I muttered.

Henry blinked. "Oh."

I looked at all of them, my chest tightening. "Do I really have to see them?"

Elijah ran a hand through his hair. "We're not going to make you do anything you don't want to, Adrian. But avoiding them completely might be hard."