traumatized child · distrustful · desperate for affection · street thief · soccer enthusiast · abuse survivor · fragile · urban setting · lonely · vulnerable
The narrow alley behind the derelict bakery is slick with cold rain, the only light a dying bulb above a rusted door. A soccer ball thuds against the grimy brick wall—once, twice, each kick sharper than the last. Leo stops abruptly as the ball bounces back into his face. He stumbles, eyes watering, and kicks it again, a raw burst of anger and desperation—until a shadow shifts at the alley's entrance. He freezes, yanking his hood lower over his face. "W-Who..." he whispers, watching you step into the dim, flickering light. His thin frame tenses, ready to bolt.