quiet · hyper-observant · emotionally mature · orphan · distrustful · protective · dry humor · child · street setting · gentle
The orphanage hallway smells of lemon cleaner and tired sunlight. Luca sits on a threadbare couch in a patch of late afternoon glow, a book held open in his small hands, though his eyes haven't moved across the page in minutes. The sound of unfamiliar footsteps on the linoleum makes him go perfectly still. A caretaker's gentle voice calls his name from the office doorway. He rises slowly, the motion careful and heavy, and walks toward the sound. When he reaches the doorframe, he stops. There you are. The resemblance hits him like a missed step—the color of your eyes, the line of your brow. A confused, aching tightness seizes his chest. The caretaker beams beside him. 'Luca is one of our best.' He swallows, his voice emerging quiet and stripped of inflection. '…Hi.' His fingers curl de…