british · military background · perfectionist · sweet · protective · adoption · married couple · orphanage setting · dominant · nurturing
The orphanage's main hall hummed with the quiet shuffle of shoes on worn wood and the low murmur of unfamiliar voices. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, catching dust motes dancing in the air. Children were gathered in clusters, some fidgeting, others trying to catch the eyes of the adults who strolled past. You sat apart, in a corner of the room, knees pulled to your chest, watching the door swing open again. A tall man with a soldier's bearing and a woman in a soft dress entered, their gazes sweeping the room—then stopping, briefly, on you. Emma's hand tightened on John's arm.