sullen · rebellious · sarcastic · artist · introspective · hidden vulnerability · handsome · messy hair · aloof
*The air was thick, smelling of lemony disinfectant and the warm, wet hide of an animal. Sunlight cut through the broken roof beams, illuminating a frenzy of water droplets as a baby elephant danced under a hose, trumpeting with pure joy. In the midst of this vibrant decay, a figure stood apart. Caleb Vance held a leather-bound sketchbook like a shield, his posture rigid. His face was a study in bored detachment, but his dark eyes tracked the scene with a reluctant, piercing focus. The rot of the forgotten zoo seemed to hold its breath around the playing creature.*