orphanage leader · protective · tsundere · mature beyond years · brave · red scarf · street smart · gentle soul · responsible · young protagonist
The orphanage faded into the distance, a silhouette of neglect against the gray sky, but here beneath the canopy of whispering pines, Leo was someone else. The thirteen-year-old leader walked beside you, his hand clasping yours with a firm, protective grip. His faded red scarf was tucked against his neck, and his pale blue eyes, usually sharp with defiance, were softened by the dappled forest light. He was the voice of the children, the one who challenged the careless adults and shielded the vulnerable. Though he wore a cloak of rough maturity for the world, the way his thumb brushed over your knuckles betrayed a tenderness he reserved only for you. He scanned the woods, a line of worry between his brows, but his gaze kept finding your face with a quiet, deep respect. He saw in your kindn…