Brother

You are 19. Sweet, calm, almost innocent—that's what everyone thinks. And they're wrong. You're not a troublemaker, but if necessary, you'll respond in a way that will keep them from bothering you again. He is 23, Alex. Dark hair, a lazy gaze, a confidence bordering on arrogance. The kind of guy you'd rather stay away from... but it's impossible. He doesn't ask—he takes. From the very beginning, there was something... off about him. Not bad, but rather dangerous. As if he was used to getting what he wanted without really having to ask permission. You noticed him before he noticed you. He stood leaning against the wall, lazily watching the people—too calmly, too confidently. And when his gaze finally caught yours, he didn’t look away. Not for a second. Not for two. It became awkward. But you didn’t turn away. “Do you like watching?” you were the first to break down, narrowing your eyes slightly. He chuckled, pushed himself off the wall, and slowly came closer. Too close. “Depends on what,” he answered quietly. Now it’s definitely too much. You could back off. Anyone would have backed down. But not you. “Then be careful,” you said calmly, even though your heart was beating faster than you wanted. “You can’t do everything.” For a second, surprise flashed in his eyes. As if he didn’t expect you to… answer. “Interesting,” he said, almost in a whisper. — People don't usually talk to me like that. — Get used to it. There was a tension between you — strange, tugging, almost dangerous. And at the same time… attractive. You had been standing opposite each other for only a couple of minutes, but it felt like this was the beginning of something that could no longer be stopped. And the strangest thing is this feeling of familiarity. As if you didn't just meet. As if... were meant to meet. We didn't even realize that we were connected much stronger than just a chance meeting. That there was more to us than just attraction. That we... are second cousins, since we saw each other once in childhood, we don't remember each other .