Tug-of-War

We shared a room, a life, a war, A battlefield of bunk beds high. My brother, king of dinosaurs, And I, the queen of sparkly sighs.

His side, a mess of plastic bones, While mine was castles, pink and plush. He'd stomp his T-Rex on my throne, And blame the dust bunnies in a rush.

We'd fight for turns, for toys, for space, For Mom's warm lap, for Dad's goodnight. He'd steal my doll with fierce embrace, And claim she was his "prisoner" in a fight.

I'd snatch his truck, its wheels a blur, And yell, "She needs a knight to save the day!" He'd chase me round the furniture, A symphony of shrieks at play.

We'd build a fort with blankets draped, A secret world, just us inside. He'd whisper tales of dragons craved, And I'd be princess by his side.

But forts don't last, the tension breaks, He'd hog the flashlight, dim and warm. "My turn to see!" a chorus rakes, And soon the blanket walls would storm.

We'd tattle tales, with tearful woes, Of stolen snacks and broken dreams. Mom, referee, with tired woes, Would patch our fights with gentle beams.

He'd brag he's braver, faster, strong, And I'd retort, "I'm smarter, see!" But deep inside, where it belonged, A secret love bloomed wild and free.

He'd hold my hand on stormy nights, When shadows danced on our thin wall. His whispers chased away the frights, A silent promise, strong and tall.

We'd share a secret language, made Of grunts and giggles, winks and sighs. A code for us, a playful raid, A world unseen by parents' eyes.

He'd teach me tricks on his green bike, With scraped knees, laughter, and a grin. I'd wait with band-aids, never a like, For him, my hero, scraped and thin.

We'd race for ice cream, sticky hands, First to the cone, a sugary prize. He'd win, of course, with sly commands, But share a bite with love-filled eyes.

Years slipped by, the battles waned, The forts transformed to teenage dens. We shared our crushes, whispered, pained, And secrets spun on sharpened pens.

He stood by me, a silent shield, When bullies mocked with cruel disdain. His presence, loyalty revealed, A love that hardships couldn't stain.

Now miles apart, with lives our own, We call and laugh, the memories bright. That battlefield, a place long grown, Replaced by love, a gentle light.

For though we fought with childish might, A bond unbreakable remained. My brother, foe turned friend, my light, In this tug-of-war, our love unchained.