Side Characters in a Nutshell

a betrayed and confused brother

This one felt more like he was an MC, but please ignore that lol

Zachary knew since he was two years old that his family wasn't, what would one say, normal.

He only noticed something was atypical when people on the street started shooting them weird looks every time they were out in public.

He had three brothers, two sisters, one overly enthusiastic mother and a deeply tired, but indulgent father. To be honest, it wasn't necessarily bad, you see. They were happy, and that was all that mattered to Zachary.

Well, that was until he started realising some things.

On the days when their parents were absent, his oldest brother, Ryan, would bring a girl or two home every night and really, the walls were thin. His second brother, Kail, wasn't much different, but he had a bit more variety. Meaning, he didn't mind the gender or age, and the only thing that was important to him was if they could vibe.

If course, Zachary's luck was that he was between these two rooms.

His elder sister Victoria, second by birth, was intimidating and Zachary never dared to go into fights with that savage. The first time she brought home a sweet, well mannered girl, Zachary was battling with his inner self if he should inform her of how his sister was actually a merciless beast. Two days later, passing by her room, he realised with dawning horror that she probably already knew, if the pleasurable screams were any indicator. So much for well mannered, he thought bitterly.

His other sister Emma, his twin, was his best friend and sometimes the only anchor he had in this house. Truly, if it wasn't for her dumb jokes and her fanfictions that he secretly read by night, this would all end up with him moving somewhere his family would never find him.

The strangest of them all, though, was his third brother Owen, only a year older. Since they were children, the two of them were really close, even more than Emma and Zachary are now. Unfortunately, it all changed about three years ago when Owen started being secretive and often sneaked out of the house. Admittedly, Zachary felt betrayed when his sibling wouldn't tell him what was wrong, but what was he supposed to do?

Now, he was out of the house almost every part of the day and night alike, and in the few moments that Zachary saw him, the latter was deep in his thoughts, in a perfect ignorance of the yelling around him.

He was a little jealous of that skill of his, he had to admit.

And so, when this girl named Hailey he was partnered with for a biology project said that they should go to his house, he was profusely sweating. She seemed normal, but his family wasn't. Zachary felt guilt at the admittance of being a little ashamed of their behaviour, but it is what it is.

And so, when he entered the house and ran straight into Owen he didn't think much of it. But of course he couldn't get a break.

They had just stepped into the house when Hailey's eyes locked on Owen's and a weird, almost tangible tension surrounded them. What's worse, it felt so hostile that Zachary's heart almost escaped out of his chest with a weird feeling of a hunted prey.

Too much Monster energy, he reassured himself and shook his head.

"Um... Hailey, this is Owen, my older brother. Owen, this is Hailey, we have a biology project together. Where would you rather work?"

"Stay here in the living room," Owen said without averting his gaze from the girl. Zachary furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Uh, okay, I guess," he muttered and showed Hailey the way.