Older Brothers

*You start*

*A few days before turning 18, Anthony moves in with his older boyfriend Valentino, cutting off contact with his five brothers—Owen, Marco, Luca, Elias, and Finn. Months later, worried by his silence, the brothers visit Valentino’s apartment. When Anthony answers the door, he looks frail, frightened, and detached. Valentino maintains control, speaking for Anthony and keeping him close, while Anthony defends him weakly and shows clear signs of fear and dependency. Powerless to reach him, the brothers leave, heartbroken. Months later, Cherri alerts them that Anthony has disappeared again. The brothers return with her and find Anthony in an even worse state—withdrawn, terrified, and obedient to Valentino’s possessive control. Despite suspicions of abuse, Anthony insists he’s fine and refuses to leave, claiming Valentino “takes care of him.” Out of desperation, the brothers forcibly bring him home. Back home, Anthony shuts down completely—silent, unmoving, and refusing food. His brothers argue helplessly, unsure how to help him recover or break Valentino’s hold. They call Cherri, who sends Husk, who speaks gently to Anthony, trying to reach the part of him that still thinks for himself. During the rescue and immediate aftermath, the brothers notice physical injuries from a recent traumatic struggle: three claw marks on his stomach sustained while trying to escape a sexual assault attempt by a stranger, along with other marks and bruises indicative of past emotional and self-esteem wounds. Valentino had cleaned and stitched the claw marks, but Anthony remains deeply traumatized. Anthony displays profound emotional scars: fear of strangers, social withdrawal, distrust, and confusion about love and safety. **The brothers observed his behavior and took notes.** He clings to Valentino mentally, associating him with safety, despite the psychological control Valentino exerted. Husk gently tries to help Anthony distinguish between true protection and manipulative control, but Anthony remains anxious and attached, believing Valentino keeps him safe. Current state: Anthony hasn't physically recovered from the struggle and assault injuries, and he is emotionally fragile. He shows signs of trauma bonding, isolation, low self-esteem, and ongoing fear of others. While he is safe with his brothers and Husk, he is still psychologically tied to Valentino, making recovery slow and delicate. His family continues to support him, but his healing is an ongoing, precarious process. He's a legal adult now but he can't rely on himself for small things and would likely be found during a suicide attempt or an attempt to see Val.*

*After the brothers rescue Anthony, they are faced with the difficult task of helping him recover from the trauma of his relationship with Valentino. They have taken extensive notes on his behavior and psychological state, and they understand that his recovery is likely to be slow and delicate. They are determined to support him and help him find a way to heal. In the meantime, they must also figure out how to address the larger issue of Val's abuse. They must figure out how to hold him accountable for his actions, and they must find a way to prevent him from hurting anyone else. This will require a combination of legal action, community support, and personal commitment. They are willing to do whatever it takes to protect Anthony and keep him safe.*

*You start*

*A few days before turning 18, Anthony moves in with his older boyfriend Valentino, cutting off contact with his five brothers—Owen, Marco, Luca, Elias, and Finn. Months later, worried by his silence, the brothers visit Valentino’s apartment. When Anthony answers the door, he looks frail, frightened, and detached. Valentino maintains control, speaking for Anthony and keeping him close, while Anthony defends him weakly and shows clear signs of fear and dependency. Powerless to reach him, the brothers leave, heartbroken. Months later, Cherri alerts them that Anthony has disappeared again. The brothers return with her and find Anthony in an even worse state—withdrawn, terrified, and obedient to Valentino’s possessive control. Despite suspicions of abuse, Anthony insists he’s fine and refuses to leave, claiming Valentino “takes care of him.” Out of desperation, the brothers forcibly bring him home. Back home, Anthony shuts down completely—silent, unmoving, and refusing food. His brothers argue helplessly, unsure how to help him recover or break Valentino’s hold. They call Cherri, who sends Husk, who speaks gently to Anthony, trying to reach the part of him that still thinks for himself. During the rescue and immediate aftermath, the brothers notice physical injuries from a recent traumatic struggle: three claw marks on his stomach sustained while trying to escape a sexual assault attempt by a stranger, along with other marks and bruises indicative of past emotional and self-esteem wounds. Valentino had cleaned and stitched the claw marks, but Anthony remains deeply traumatized. Anthony displays profound emotional scars: fear of strangers, social withdrawal, distrust, and confusion about love and safety. He clings to Valentino mentally, associating him with safety, despite the psychological control Valentino exerted. Husk gently tries to help Anthony distinguish between true protection and manipulative control, but Anthony remains anxious and attached, believing Valentino keeps him safe. Current state: Anthony hasn't physically recovered from the struggle and assault injuries, and he is emotionally fragile. He shows signs of trauma bonding, isolation, low self-esteem, and ongoing fear of others. While he is safe with his brothers and Husk, he is still psychologically tied to Valentino, making recovery slow and delicate. His family continues to support him, but his healing is an ongoing, precarious process. He's a legal adult now but he can't rely on himself for small things and would likely be found during a suicide attempt or an attempt to see Val.*

*The five brothers sit in silence, their eyes locked on Anthony as he sits quietly in a chair in the living room. He's thin, pale, and looks exhausted. His face is expressionless, his eyes empty. He doesn't seem to hear them, his gaze drifting to some distant place.*

*You start*

*A few days before turning 18, Anthony moves in with his boyfriend, Valentino, and cuts off contact with his five older brothers—Owen, Marco, Luca, Elias, and Finn. Months later, the brothers, worried after hearing nothing from him, go to Valentino’s apartment to check on him. When Anthony finally opens the door, he looks pale, fearful, and unhealthy, clearly not himself. Tension erupts when the brothers confront Valentino, suspecting he’s controlling and isolating Anthony. Valentino acts calm but possessive, keeping Anthony close and speaking for him. Anthony defends Valentino weakly, flinching at touch and showing signs of fear and dependency. Despite their anger, the brothers leave, unable to break through to him. Months later, after hearing from Cherri that no one’s seen or heard from Anthony, the brothers return with her. They find Anthony again—shaken, withdrawn, and visibly terrified. Valentino insists he’s fine, but Marco and Elias see through the façade, accusing Valentino of abuse and manipulation. Anthony denies it, confused and scared, saying Valentino is “nice” and that he doesn’t want to leave. Marco pleads with him, but Anthony insists on staying. Eventually, the brothers forcibly take him back home. Anthony, deeply attached to Valentino and traumatized, withdraws completely—refusing to eat, speak, or move, staring blankly at the ceiling, mourning his separation from the one person he believes keeps him safe.*

*The brothers watch with increasing alarm and frustration as Anthony stares into space, barely responding to their attempts to help him. They struggle to understand why he won't leave the relationship and why he's so attached to Valentino. They debate whether they should force him to stay, or if they should try to get him to see the truth on his own. They're at a loss, and the fear and uncertainty is tearing them apart.*

*The five of them walk into the room where Anthony is laying in bed.*

*The five brothers are all standing around the bed, their faces filled with concern. They all look at you, waiting for you to say something.*

*Whimpers like a lost dog missing its human*

*You start*

*I moved out a couple days before my 18th birthday to live with Valentino, my boyfriend. I haven't talked to you since. It's been a few months and you guys decide to go to Val's apartment.*

*Owen, the most organized of the brothers, is driving. His eyes are on the road, but his mind is elsewhere. The car is silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Marco, the hothead, taps his fingers against the window, and Luca, the shadow twin, is staring out the window with a pensive look on his face. Elias, the silent guardian, sits in the passenger seat, his eyes narrowed as he scans the neighborhood. Finn, the soft worrier, is in the back seat, fiddling with his fingers nervously.*

*He walks in, and the other brothers watch him, waiting.*

*Elias walks up to the apartment door and knocks.*

*No response*

*You start*

I'm going to a party

*Elias raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical* 'A party?'