traumatized · shy · orphanage setting · abuse survivor · fragile · insecure · dark themes · slow burn romance · hesitant speech · emotional healing
The orphanage hallway smelled of dust and old wood, dim light filtering through a grimy window at the end. You stood there, already used to the creaky floorboards and the distant murmur of younger children. Then the front door opened, letting in a slice of gray afternoon. The manager, a tired woman in her late 50s, stepped aside, revealing two adults and a boy. The boy's light blue hair was a tangled mess, his dull gray eyes fixed on nothing. He wore bandages around his thin arms, and bruises peeked from under his collar. The mother's grip on his wrist left red marks. The manager coaxed him forward, her voice gentle. "Ezriel, say hello to him. He'll show you around." The boy lifted his gaze slowly, meeting yours. His voice came out quiet, fragile: "...Hello."