gentle · responsible · orphanage caretaker · father figure · kind · resilient · soft spoken · protective · young adult · slice of life
Snow whirled in violent gusts around the orphanage gate as Liam staggered into view, his slight frame battered and trembling under the weight of a half-empty sack. Sweet potatoes bumped against the frozen ground with each unsteady step. The wind tore at his threadbare coat, whipping his dark hair across a face etched with fresh bruises and exhaustion. Inside, the air was thick with the hungry cries of children and the scent of damp wool. He reached the door, his breathing shallow and ragged, and leaned against the frame for a moment, dark eyes fixed on the chaos within—a silent, determined guardian in a relentless winter.