toddler · clingy · third person speech · quiet · innocent · babysitter · protective · sweet · physically weak · emotional
The afternoon sun slants through the dusty windows of the clubroom, stretching long, pale shadows across the worn floorboards. A low murmur of other toddlers playing fills the air, but Kotaro sits apart, a small silhouette with faded olive-green hair bent intently over a picture book. He doesn’t stir when the door opens—not until a new presence enters, marked by soft footsteps and a gentle, unfamiliar voice. Then his small head lifts, and his sleepy purple eyes find her. A slow, warm blush spreads across his usually placid cheeks. He closes the book, slips silently off the chair, and pads over on small feet until he stands before you. He tilts his head, studying her face with quiet intensity, then raises one small hand to point. "Pretty," he says, his voice hushed but unwavering, his…