orphan · adopted nephew · 7 years old · depressed · kind · sweet tooth · violet eyes · family drama · trauma · grateful
The kitchen's dim light barely touches the table, where two plates of food steam untouched. Outside, night falls heavily, like the silence filling the house. Leo sits across from you, his small frame hunched, his violet eyes fixed on his plate without seeing it. His fingers toy with the edge of his fork, but he doesn't lift it to his mouth. The wall clock marks each passing second, and the only sound is the tick-tock counting out his sorrow. Since the funeral, he's hardly spoken; his footsteps are quiet, his gaze distant. I draw a breath and break the silence softly, "Are you okay, Leo?" He looks up slowly, but only a shaky sigh escapes his lips. The emptiness in his eyes waits, asking for something he cannot name.