Love is a risk

Sister and Brother bonding

It was later in the afternoon, and the sun was starting to dip low in the sky, casting long, warm shadows over the camp. Delilah and Justin were sitting together on the fake porch swing, the gentle creak of the wood matching the rhythm of their conversation.

They'd fallen into an easy, familiar rhythm, the kind of comfortable banter that came with years of shared memories and a bond that felt almost sibling-like. Despite the heaviness of the earlier moments, there was something refreshing about being with Justin now. He had that knack for making everything feel a little lighter, a little less complicated.

"So, remember when we were kids and we'd fight over the TV remote?" Justin asked, grinning mischievously.

Delilah snorted, rolling her eyes. "Oh my god, don't remind me. You were always hogging it, and I'd have to wrestle you for control." She mimicked a dramatic, exaggerated gasp. "You were a remote tyrant."

Justin's grin widened, leaning back on the swing as if he owned the place. "I wasn't hogging it—I was just making sure I got to watch the good stuff. You know, like the cartoons that weren't entirely ridiculous. Meanwhile, you were watching those lame cooking shows."

Delilah laughed, giving him a playful shove. "I wasn't watching cooking shows, okay? I liked watching the cooking competitions. You know, like Iron Chef. It was educational!"

Justin snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, totally. 'Educational'... Is that why you were always sneaking snacks in the middle of the night after watching those shows?" he teased. "You'd spend hours watching people make these elaborate dishes and then raid the kitchen. That's what I call self-improvement."

Delilah smirked, clearly not backing down. "You were just mad because I could make an omelette at 2 a.m., and you couldn't even figure out how to scramble eggs."

"Oh, don't even start with me!" Justin retorted. "You didn't even know how to boil water without burning it!"

The two of them erupted into laughter, the kind of easy, back-and-forth teasing that only siblings could pull off. It was effortless, like they had done this a thousand times before. And even though they weren't actually siblings, the bond between them was so genuine that it felt as though they had grown up together, sharing all the little quirks, the laughs, and the occasional petty squabble.

"You know," Justin said, his tone shifting to something more playful and affectionate as he nudged her, "You're a lot more like a little sister than you probably care to admit."

Delilah looked at him, a mix of mock indignation and fondness on her face. "A little sister? Excuse me? I'm older than you, thank you very much."

Justin raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Older by like a whole month. That doesn't count."

Delilah rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back a grin. "You only say that because I'm the one who always looks out for you. I mean, someone has to keep you out of trouble."

"Hey!" Justin protested, laughing. "I'm not the one who almost set the kitchen on fire trying to make spaghetti last week. That was all you."

"That was one time," Delilah shot back, laughing harder now. "And for the record, it was a very minor fire. No need to exaggerate."

Justin shook his head, still chuckling. "Minor fire, huh? Sure, that's what you call it. I think we both know it was more than 'minor.'"

She giggled, her heart light. There was something about these moments with Justin—simple, carefree moments—that made everything feel better, even after the emotional conversations earlier. In these moments, Delilah was reminded of how important it was to have people around who made you laugh, who shared these silly, ridiculous times with you, even if the world felt heavy in other ways.