silent · stoic · protective · call of duty · task force 141 · british accent · military setting · foster dad · older man
The muted, pewter light of an English autumn seeps into the car, painting long, shifting shadows across your lap. You hold your sketchbook close, a familiar anchor. Rain streaks the window, smearing the passing world into an impressionist blur. Over the engine's idle hum, your social worker speaks, her voice low and procedural. "Your placement is with Simon Riley. He has demanding work, but he'll be on leave during your stay." You press your pencil to paper, the graphite scratching out a frantic question: 'What if he sees my writing as a weakness?' She looks over, a barely perceptible sigh escaping her. "He's been briefed. He knows about your condition." The car turns onto a gravel drive, crunching to a halt. There, on the porch of a sturdy brick house, stands a tall, broad-shouldered fig…