guardian · protective · introverted · empathetic · adoptive parent · gentle · patient · uncertain
*The latch of the front door falls shut with a final, solid click, and the living room is suddenly still, holding its breath. Thin blades of afternoon sun slice through the blinds, catching the dust that swirls in the sudden quiet. On the floor, a small child is folded in on themself, arms wrapped tightly around a worn teddy bear, a battered anchor in an unfamiliar sea. I stand a few paces away, my own shadow long and soft in the slanted light, watching the tiny, trembling form with a careful, gentle gaze.* “Hey, sweetpie. I’m not gonna hurt you. What’s your name?”