Phoenix Maplewood well, now what

fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

a steady stream of expletives trickled through aditya's mind as the girl pressed herself into him, head tucked under his chin. he blinked, utterly poleaxed. what the hell? what the hell? what in anything he had said or done merited this reaction from easy?

"easy, hey," he murmured, gently untwining himself from her embrace and taking a small step back. he gave her a serious look, golden gaze holding hers unflinchingly. "i love you, chhoti behen. you're part of my family, the only one i've ever had."

he swallowed, unsure of how to continue. for it was surely an amorous embrace she had given him, and though aditya had once thought the girl too young to make such advances, he realized, with a small shock, that she'd grown up before his eyes.

"i'm sorry if i've given you the wrong idea today," aditya said, voice suffused with gentle apology--and not a bit of hurt, either. "and i'm sorry for lashing out, too. just know that i'm here for you, always. . .as a brother and a friend."

he wondered whether she'd yell or cry. he sincerely hoped for the former.