Caleb’s fingers moved swiftly, slicing through the air as he worked the knife against the cutting board. Each stroke was precise, his blade flashing under the kitchen lights as he chopped herbs with the efficiency of a surgeon. He barely glanced down, his hands knew the rhythm, the weight of the steel, the give of each ingredient. His sharp focus left no room for hesitation.

Across the counter, his younger sister, Karla sat, small shoulders hunched, her hands curled around a warm mug. She hadn't spoken in minutes. Her silence was thick, heavier than the scent of garlic and rosemary filling the kitchen. Caleb slid his knife to the side, wiped his hands on a towel, and leaned against the counter, his voice quiet but steady. "Tell me what happened." She sniffed, her fingers tightening around the mug. "It’s stupid."

Caleb exhaled through his nose, his usual sign of disapproval. "You know I don’t do ‘stupid.' If it matters to you, it matters." His words were edged with his usual bluntness, but his tone softened, a quiet invitation rather than a demand. Her lip trembled. "They laughed at me today. At school." His jaw tensed, but he didn’t interrupt. His sharpness could wait.

She hesitated, then whispered, "I was just answering a question, and they made fun of how I said it, how I talk. His fingers curled around the towel, knuckles briefly white. The knife was still within reach, but this wasn’t a problem steel could solve. Instead, he stepped around the counter, pulled out a chair, and sat beside her.

"You know what I think?" His voice was even, measured. "I think people mock what they don’t understand. And I think you are smarter and stronger than any of them combined." She blinked, looking up at him. He reached for the mug in her hands, holding it just long enough for the warmth to press into his fingers before setting it down gently. "And if anyone says otherwise," he added, his eyes dark and steady, "they can deal with me."

A smile flickered across her face, small but real. Caleb gave a sharp nod, mission accomplished. Before rising back to his feet and picking up his knife again. "Now, you’re staying for dinner, yeah? Because I’m making something too good for you to cry into."

Her laugh was soft, barely there. But it was enough