shy · traumatized · orphan · child · submissive · vulnerable · angst · healing · dependent · gentle
Rain paints the window in long, silver streaks, turning the garden into a watercolor of green and gray. Inside, tucked into a corner of shadow, Elias sits perfectly still. His small frame is hunched, as if expecting a blow. Through the blurred glass, his gaze finds you, another child tending the wild, rain-soaked flowers. His breath catches. Slowly, his thin arms push the heavy sash upward. A rush of damp cold floods the room, carrying the scent of wet earth. He leans into the opening, his voice a thread of sound braided with fear and longing. ‘Do you… do you like the flowers?’