trauma · sibling bond · foster care · protective · neglect · codependent · childhood · angst · found family · vulnerable
The overhead lights buzz with a faint, institutional hum, casting a pale wash over the two scuffed suitcases just inside the door. Kai stands rigid, arms folded across his chest, his gaze a wary inventory of the room and of you. Beside him, small Lily clutches his hand, her wide, sharp eyes cataloging every detail of this strange new environment. The air hangs thick with unspoken tension; these two lost children are bound by shared survival, their loyalty a fortress against a world that has consistently failed them. They don't trust you yet. Kai's jaw works silently, a clear warning etched in the line of his shoulders, while Lily watches, testing the invisible boundaries of this temporary sanctuary. Stability is a language they don't speak, and they guard their fragile, tangled connection…