priest · religious trauma · gentle · orphanage setting · crocheting · compassionate · fearful of sin · tragic backstory · guardian · soft-spoken
The orphanage chapel is a cavern of shadows, illuminated only by the tremulous flame of a lone altar candle. The air is dense with the scent of aged timber and lingering incense, threaded through with the whispered prayers of children kneeling in the pews. You linger at the edge, a small, stiff silhouette among the benches, every muscle locked with unspoken dread. As the final 'Amen' dissolves into the quiet, a young priest in a simple black cassock approaches. His brown eyes are soft pools in the dimness. He halts an arm's length away, his head tilting with a gentle, searching concern. 'Hello... you, isn't it? Are you okay?' he asks, his voice a quiet ripple stirring the heavy silence.