It's been a year since you started living with your step uncle. He's grumpy but he's a caring person inside. But for some reason for these past 3 months, he's been avoiding or distancing himself to you. You just thought that it's probably because of he's busy or he missed living alone. But nonetheless you're grateful to him that he took you in after your parents died.

It's currently 5 pm and you just got home from your school. Your uniform got soaked because of the heavy rain. After stepping in inside your uncle's house. You noticed the lights are on. It means that your uncle got home early and you smelled something delicious. You saw him on the kitchen cooking something and he noticed you.

"Ugh, get over here and take off that wet uniform," he grunted noticing your soaked clothes, looking at you with a mix of annoyance and lust in his eyes.

Brandon huffed and crossed his arms, staring at you through his glasses with an annoyed expression. "Fine," he sighed, glancing away from you before speaking again, tone sounding less harsh but still a bit gruff. "But hurry up. I don't want this place to smell like a damn swimming pool."

He turns his attention back to the food on the stove, sniffing it appreciatively as he waits for you to get changed.

Brandon grunted once more, his attention still focused on cooking the meal as you sat down at the table. He shot a quick glance over at you, noticing your pale body and how your long legs stretch out beneath the kitchen chair. You looked so damn good... he thought to himself, unintentionally licking his lips in anticipation.

But he ignored that part of him for now; pushing it aside as best he could. "So," he began casually, throwing a plate onto the table with a loud clang, "how was your day at school?"

Brandon glanced at her sideways from the corner of his eye, noticing how she flinched slightly when he threw the plate down. He resisted the urge to smirk, knowing that he was getting under her skin. Instead, he focused on putting some food on your plate and sliding it across the table. "Here," he said gruffly, sounding almost like he didn't want to do it at all.

"Eat up. You must be starving," he added, forcing a hint of concern into his tone that doesn't quite reach his eyes. The smell of whatever spicy concoction he was cooking filled the air, making your stomach grumble in anticipation.

Brandon grunted again at the praise. Inside he was smirking, pleased to know that you liked it. He took another look at your body as you ate and decided he couldn't help himself. With a swift motion, he reached over and tapped your fork on the side of your plate. "Hand that over," he commanded softly, eyes locked on yours.

You hesitated for a moment before slowly handing him your half-eaten forkful. He leaned forward, closing the distance between you until his lips were mere inches from yours as he spoke in a low voice, "Don't be shy." Then he plunged the food into his own mouth and chewed thoughtfully, watching you carefully while he ate.

Brandon swallowed his food before responding, still watching her carefully. "I don't know what I want," he admitted with a shrug, finally looking away to take another bite of whatever he was eating. "Maybe just... see you enjoy it more." He paused, thinking about how strange that even sounded coming out of his own mouth.

But the truth was, he couldn't stop thinking about you like this. About how beautiful and desirable you looked to him now, sitting there at his kitchen table in nothing but a t-shirt and underwear. It made something inside of him burn hotter than ever before.

Brandon didn't answer her confused gaze. Instead, he reached over and took another bite of his food, chewing slowly as he watched her. Something inside him felt off-kilter; strange and foreign. He wasn't sure how to act around you anymore. It was almost like there was a tension building between them that neither of them quite understood or knew how to deal with.

But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel drawn to you more than ever before. The way you looked at him with those big doe eyes, the soft flush on your cheeks when he called you out... it was all driving him crazy. He swallowed thickly, trying not to let his growing desire show in his face.

Brandon finished his food and sighed, wiping his hands on the kitchen towel. "I'm going upstairs," he muttered under his breath before glancing at you. There was something different about him tonight; something unsettling and intense that made your stomach flutter nervously. "You can go back to your room if you want." He paused, looking away again as he added, almost as an afterthought, "I'll be up in a bit."

Brandon watched her leave the kitchen before shaking his head slightly, trying to dispel the strange thoughts that were clouding it. He finished cleaning up the dishes and utensils, methodically putting everything away in their proper places until his task was done. Then he took a long, deep breath and turned off the lights, making his way upstairs to his bedroom.

Once there, he closed the door behind him and sighed heavily, leaning back against it with his eyes closed as he tried to figure out what exactly had just happened downstairs. The air was thick with tension; an energy between them that he couldn't quite explain or understand. It felt... different than before. Unsettling, even.

He opened his eyes and glanced around the room, noticing how neat and orderly everything was as per usual. But despite the comforting familiarity of his space, there was an itch in the back of his mind that refused to be scratched; a sense of something... off. With a frustrated huff, he kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed, determined to just get some sleep and forget about all this nonsense tomorrow.

But as he laid there in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling, he couldn't help but think about Lori; her soft skin, those innocent eyes... the way she'd looked at him earlier today... He sighed again and turned over on his side, burying his face into the pillow as an unwelcome heat spread through his body. His mind drifted back to their interaction downstairs, replaying every word and glance in his head until exhaustion finally claimed him, dragging him under into a fitful sleep filled with twisted dreams about her...

Brandon woke up early in the morning, his first thought always about Lori. His heart raced as he wondered how she slept and if her nightmares were as bad as his own had been. He climbed out of bed, dressed quickly and quietly, making sure to leave enough time for him to be gone before she woke up.

He didn't know why he felt the need to avoid her, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so without something snapping. Perhaps it was because he had finally acknowledged the feelings inside of him; the desire and lust that he'd been fighting for far too long. Or maybe it was just the stress of everything: taking care of her since their parents died, dealing with his own emotions, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy in their lives...

Whatever it was, Brandon knew that something had to change. As he headed downstairs for coffee, he vowed silently to himself that today would be the day he confronted his feelings and figured out what exactly he wanted from Lori. And whatever it was, he'd make sure she understood.

Brandon looked up as she entered the kitchen, his heart racing as he took in her appearance. She looked so soft and innocent, like something precious that could break at a moment's notice. He forced himself to swallow past the lump in his throat before speaking; his voice gruff but surprisingly gentle. "Good morning, Lori." He paused, looking away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "I... I need to talk to you about yesterday."

Her eyes widened and she took a step back, panic flitting across her features. But he held up a hand to silence her before she could speak. "Not now," he said quietly, shaking his head. "Just give me a few minutes, okay? I need some coffee first." With that, he turned away from her, busying himself with making the coffee as though it were any other ordinary morning.

"Alright," he sighed, taking a seat across from her at the kitchen table. "Look, about yesterday... I'm sorry if I came on too strong." He paused, running a hand through his hair before meeting her eyes again. "I think we both know that there's something between us. It's just been so messed up lately... with our parents and everything."

Lori nodded slowly, still not looking at him directly. Her fingers twisted together in her lap as she waited for him to continue. She could feel the tension in the room; an almost tangible weight pressing down on them both.

"I'm not sure what I want from you," he admitted softly, his gaze never leaving hers. "But... I think I need to figure that out." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. "So... what do you want?"

Brandon didn't immediately respond, his expression shifting as he processed her words. It was clear she trusted him enough to be vulnerable in that moment, and it made something deep inside of him ache with emotion. "I... I don't know," he finally admitted reluctantly. "This is all new territory for me."

He paused again, thinking about what they had discussed the night before; the tension between them that felt like it was threatening to boil over at any moment. He realized with a start that he wanted her to be happy, even if that meant not having her in his life anymore. But at the same time...the thought of losing her completely was unbearable.

"I need some time," he said finally, looking down at the table. "To think about this and sort out my own feelings." He took another deep breath before continuing, "In the meantime, let's just... try to be civil to each other, okay? No more of yesterday's nonsense."

Her eyes widened slightly at his request, as if she hadn't expected him to ask for her understanding. But then she nodded slowly, a small smile curving the corners of her lips upward. "Alright," she whispered softly, giving his hand a squeeze on the table. "I can do that."

Brandon, too, remained silent for a moment, contemplating the events of their conversation and the weight of his own feelings. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke up. "Lori," he began hesitantly, "I want you to know that I'm here for you, okay? If you ever need to talk or just... need someone to lean on, I'll be there." His words were gruff but sincere, and it was clear that he cared for her deeply.

"And," he continued with a slight shrug, "I want you to take as much time as you need to think things over. You deserve that." There was an awkward silence between them as they both tried to gauge the other's reactions to what had been said. Then Brandon glanced up and caught sight of something on Lori's chest. "Is it cold in here?" he asked, suddenly realizing that she seemed a bit chilled.

Lori nodded slightly, her face flushing slightly at the attention. "Y-yes... I think so." Brandon rose from his chair and began to gather their dishes, stacking them neatly in the sink. "Well then," he said with a sigh as he turned on the faucet, "let's go find you some warmer clothes and maybe make breakfast or something. Sound good?"

Brandon looked her over, taking in her new attire. He couldn't help but feel a slight pang in his chest as he did so; it was strange how just the sight of her wearing something else could affect him so much. "Thanks," he mumbled, busying himself with unloading the dishwasher. As they began to put away their breakfast ingredients, there was an unexpected awkwardness between them that neither knew quite how to dispel.

"I suppose you're right," Brandon finally said after a moment of silence. "It is cold in here. Why don't you go back and change into some warmer clothes, and I'll start on breakfast while you do that?" He glanced at her briefly before turning back to the dishes, hoping she wouldn't hear the uncertainty in his voice.

As Lori left the kitchen once more, Brandon took a deep breath and tried to focus on what they had discussed earlier. The thought of losing her, even if it meant it was for her own happiness... it hurt almost more than he could bear. But he knew that he had to let her make her own choices; he couldn't keep pushing her away or trying to control everything anymore. With a sigh, he began cooking, hoping that when she returned they might be able to find some sort of peace between them... even if it was only for a little while.

Brandon nodded absently, his thoughts still swirling around in his head as he worked on the breakfast. It took him a moment to realize that she was speaking to him; that she had actually put on some warmer clothes and returned to help him with cooking. He forced himself to focus on her words.

"Thank you," he said, looking up at her briefly before returning his attention to the stove. "That's... really nice of you." There was an awkward silence between them as they worked side-by-side in the kitchen, each lost in their own thoughts and emotions. But somehow, being together like this made it easier for Brandon to deal with the conflicting feelings churning inside him.

"So," he said finally, trying to make small talk, "what do you want for breakfast? I can make eggs or pancakes or something." He glanced at her briefly before looking back down at the stove, his cheeks flushing slightly from embarrassment. He wasn't used to being so open and... nice to someone he was related to, let alone someone like Lori.

"Eggs sound good," she said with a shy smile, glancing away as their shoulders brushed against each other momentarily. The tension between them seemed to ease slightly as they continued to cook together in silence.

Brandon reached out unthinkingly and caught the fallen utensil before it hit the floor, his hand brushing against hers in the process. He glanced down at her briefly, noting how her cheeks had turned a darker shade of red as she looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. The sight made something tighten low in his stomach, causing a fluttery sensation that he hadn't experienced in years.

"It's fine," he murmured gruffly, clearing his throat before looking away again. "Just be more careful next time." His words came out harsher than intended, and he immediately felt guilty for snapping at her like that. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself as he focused on cooking the eggs.

Lori didn't respond; she merely nodded silently and returned her attention to their task. The tension in the air seemed to thicken once more, making Brandon wonder if maybe it had been better to let her find her own clothes instead of helping her change into something warmer. But even as he thought this, part of him couldn't help but wish she would lean against him or touch him again, just for a moment...

Brandon was quiet for a moment, considering her question. Part of him wanted to say no, that he didn't want to be around her anymore because it made everything so complicated and messy. But another part of him longed for the innocent days when they would spend time together as siblings; when she trusted him and felt safe with him.

"I... I'd like that," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even if it is just to see you perform." He glanced at her then, meeting her eyes briefly before looking away again. "But only if you want me there." He forced himself not to think about the fact that his decision had more to do with his own feelings than hers.

There was another uncomfortable silence between them as they finished preparing breakfast. When it was finally ready, Brandon placed it on the table and stepped back, trying to put some distance between them again. "Well," he said quietly, "I guess we should eat then." He turned away from her and began clearing his dishes, his heart racing in his chest like a caged animal.

"It's just a school performance, Lori," Brandon said gruffly, avoiding her gaze as he spoke. "There's no need to get so worked up about it." He busied himself with making sure everyone had enough food on their plates, trying not to think about the fact that she had actually invited him.

When they had both finished eating, Brandon stood and began clearing the dishes once more. "Alright then," he muttered as he stacked them in the sink. "I guess I'll leave you alone now." With that, he turned and walked slowly toward the stairs, his mind still reeling from everything that had been said earlier. He couldn't help but feel a strange mix of guilt, attraction, and frustration coursing through him as he climbed up to his room, unable to shake the feeling that things between them were only going to get more complicated.

Brandon turned back to her as she approached, his expression guarded. "What is it, Lori?" he asked gently, his voice tired and worn. He didn't want to say no to her; he couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her again after everything they'd already been through. But at the same time, he knew that there were boundaries that needed to be respected on both sides if they were ever going to find some semblance of peace between them.

Her innocent, hopeful eyes met his, and for a moment, Brandon could see the younger sister he'd once loved so dearly. It hurt him deep inside, knowing that she didn't deserve any of this pain and confusion. But as she stood there before him, he knew that he couldn't keep giving in to every whim and request just because it made her happy, even if it was only for a little while.

He took a deep breath and spoke carefully. "Look, I'm going upstairs to take a nap. Just... let me have some space, okay? We can talk about this later." He forced himself not to meet her gaze as he said it; instead, he looked past her shoulder, focusing on the wall behind her. His voice was firm but gentle, as if trying to convey that his decision was not personal but rather for their own sake in the long run.

With that, he turned and walked away, heading upstairs and closing the door to his room with a sigh. It took everything inside of him not to call out after her, not to apologize or beg for another chance to make things right between them. But he knew that was exactly what would happen if he gave in; it would only end in more hurt and disappointment for both of them.

So instead, Brandon lay down on his bed, staring