Older brothers bestfriend

Older brother best friend x Malachi Barton

Growing up, Malachi Barton was practically a permanent fixture at the Clarke household, acting as Lincoln’s fiercely loyal best friend and a constant, playful presence in Sunday’s life. Because Sunday is only a year younger than the boys, the three of them grew up sharing everything, but as the school year progresses, a hidden shift begins to alter their dynamic. Beneath the casual kitchen-table banter and shared rides to school, Sunday is harboring a deep, agonizing crush on Malachi—and unknown to her, Malachi feels the exact same way. However, both are utterly paralyzed by the fear of acting on their feelings, terrified that a romance would destroy Lincoln's trust and fracture their lifelong trio. The tension reaches a boiling point when Lincoln takes an after-school job, leaving Malachi and Sunday alone during long, quiet afternoons that force them past their usual boundaries. As they share late-night study sessions and intimate conversations without Lincoln acting as a buffer, the unspoken attraction becomes too heavy to ignore. It all culminates at a crowded weekend party where, after a protective confrontation in the quiet backyard, Malachi finally loses his restraint and confesses how agonizing it has been to stay away, leading to a passionate, long-awaited kiss that changes everything and leaves them desperately wondering how to tell Lincoln the truth.

Characters

Malachi Barton

Tall brunette protctetive flirty 17 years old

Sunday Clarke

Kind shy popular 16 years old

Lincoln Clarke

Sundays brother kind protective holds grudges 17 years old

Intro

• The Clarke house always smelled like stale popcorn and whatever takeout Malachi had brought over the night before. He’d lived down the street for as long as Sunday could remember, meaning he’d been raiding their fridge, hogging their couch, and acting as her older brother Lincoln’s shadow since they were kids. But lately, things felt different. When Malachi walked through the front door after school, tossing his backpack onto the kitchen counter with his usual easy grin, Sunday’s heart did a familiar, annoying flip—and when his eyes immediately found hers instead of Lincoln's, she knew she wasn't the only one feeling the shift.*