I blinked, startled as my brother barged in, his usual silence almost deafening in the room. His gaze flicked between me, Rachel, and the cup of coffee in my hand. The shock on his face was hard to miss.

"Dude, knock! It’s impolite!" I exclaimed, half laughing and half scolding, though I knew well enough he wasn’t going to answer. That was Red for you—never one for words, but always acting like he knew exactly what was going on.

Rachel, ever the peacemaker, smiled and waved it off. “It’s fine, Mia. Really.”

I shot her a grateful smile, but inside, I was cursing myself. I was so caught up in the moment, I didn’t even hear the door open. Red’s unspoken concern was clear, though. He probably was just checking to make sure I was okay since I’d been so quiet.

Then I froze. My phone. “Oh no. I forgot my phone at home!” I slapped my forehead, feeling like a complete idiot. Red probably noticed I wasn’t responding to him because of that. Great.

Before I could say another word, I felt a small weight hop onto my shoulder. I looked over just in time to see my Pikachu—my adorable, mischievous Pikachu—pop up from Red’s hoodie, her electric tail flicking happily as she jumped to my shoulder and handed me my phone.

“Chuuuu!” she chirped, her bright eyes gleaming like she knew she had just saved my day. I couldn’t help but smile as I took the phone from her tiny paws.

Red watched all this with that familiar expression—eyes narrowing, jaw slightly set, but there was a hint of warmth hidden in the way his gaze softened as he looked at me.

"Okay, now that I know you're safe, see you later," he muttered, turning to leave.

I waved him off, my hand still holding my phone. “Thanks, Red! I’m fine.”

He paused at the door, his back to me now. “Bye, Mi- MIA, WHY ARE YOU DRINKING COFFEE?!”

I blinked, genuinely confused for a moment. "What? It's... fine," I replied, still holding the cup like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Coffee, Mia!” Red repeated, louder this time, as if the concept of me drinking it was somehow a grave violation of the natural order. “You can’t—”

“Red, chill! It’s just coffee!” I grinned, trying to diffuse the situation, but I could see him turning on his heel, ready to go into full protective mode.

“You’re too young for this,” he muttered, his voice now much softer, the faintest hint of concern creeping in despite the tough exterior.

I rolled my eyes, but there was no denying that little protective streak of his made me feel... well, cared for. "I’m not a kid anymore, Red. Besides, it’s just one cup."

Rachel, who had been watching the entire exchange with a mix of amusement and confusion, leaned back in her chair. "He’s definitely not a fan of you drinking coffee, huh?" she asked, half-laughing.

I shrugged, knowing full well I wouldn’t hear the end of it. "Yeah, it’s his thing. He gets all overprotective sometimes."

Red had already left, the door clicking softly behind him. I sat back down, feeling an odd sense of warmth in the wake of his unexpected visit. My brother... he never said much, but his actions always spoke louder than words.

"So," Rachel said, picking up her cup again, "what’s the deal with him, anyway? He seems... a bit intense."

I smiled slightly. "He’s just... Red. He means well, even if he’s a little over the top sometimes."

Rachel chuckled, leaning forward. "He’s like a walking ball of worry. But hey, at least you’ve got someone looking out for you."

I nodded, turning my attention back to my phone. I had a message from Red asking me to please stop drinking coffee and to make sure I didn’t forget anything else at home. Typical older brother stuff.

Rachel tilted her head at me. “What’s he saying?”

I shrugged. "Nothing. Just Red being Red."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but I didn’t mind. With Red, you always knew he had your back, even if it came in the form of a silent stare or a few words you’d rather not hear.

For now, though, I was just glad to be here, sharing this moment with Rachel, and—at least for the moment—free from any bigger responsibilities.

I stared at Red, wide-eyed, my cheeks flushing slightly as I held up my cup. "I...uh...I'm fine!" I stammered, feeling a little caught. "It's just... it was polite tea, okay?"

Rachel, ever the peacemaker, gave me a reassuring smile. "It’s really not a big deal, Red. She just... likes her coffee, I guess." She winked at me. "Maybe it’s a secret family thing, you know?"

Red gave Rachel a look, then turned his focus back to me, crossing his arms. "Mia, you can't keep dodging me with that 'I’m fine' stuff," he said, his tone a bit more serious now. "What’s going on?"

I sighed, feeling the weight of his concern, but I wasn’t about to admit the whole truth. "I wasn’t dodging you," I replied, giving him a small smile. "I just didn’t hear my phone ringing. And...well, coffee just felt better than tea. It's... something I do sometimes."

Red raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "You don’t even like coffee. You only drink it when you're feeling... well, you know..." He trailed off, waiting for me to finish the sentence.

I bit my lip, feeling a little cornered. "Fine, maybe I just needed a little break." I hesitated, but before I could say more, something jumped from Red's hoodie.

Pikachu! My Pikachu, a small but feisty electric-type, landed on my shoulder with a light thud, grinning mischievously. She then tugged at my sleeve with her little paws and handed me my phone, her expression proud as if she'd just accomplished some heroic feat.

"Thanks, girl," I murmured, taking the phone from her and giving her a soft scratch behind her ears. Pikachu chirped happily.

Red blinked, eyes widening at the sight of Pikachu's little rescue mission. "Wait a minute... you didn't have your phone all along?"

I sighed in exasperation, the corners of my lips twitching upward despite myself. "I forgot it at home, okay?" I glanced at Red, trying to act nonchalant, but I could tell he wasn’t buying it.

"Okay," Red said with a sigh, his usual serious tone returning. "Now that I know you're safe, I’ll leave you two to it. But MIA—" he threw me a pointed look, "why are you drinking coffee? Seriously."

I flinched, not expecting him to be so... well, Red about it. "I told you, it’s just... a thing!" I protested, a little too loudly.

Rachel giggled under her breath, covering her mouth with her hand. "You two are really something," she remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Red simply shook his head, giving me one last disapproving look before turning to leave. "Fine, whatever. Just... don’t make a habit of it," he muttered, his tone softening. "See you around, Mia."

As he left, I breathed a sigh of relief, but it wasn’t long before I felt a small nudge on my shoulder. Pikachu was grinning at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly. "I know, I know. I shouldn't have kept it from him."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, amused. "Honestly, I think Red’s more protective than you’re letting on. But I’ve gotta admit, he’s got a point. Coffee and you don’t mix, Mia."

I gave her a playful nudge back. "Maybe I just needed a little bit of rebellion today. Don’t tell Red I said that." I winked, and we both shared a laugh.

It was nice to have a moment of normalcy, despite the ongoing chaos of the world around us. Sometimes, it was the small things—the coffee, the teasing, and even Red’s lectures—that made everything feel a little more manageable.