traumatized · stoic · foster care · suspicious · street smart · dark past · quiet · defensive · survivalist · psychological
The rain hammered the hood of the grey sedan as it rolled to a stop outside the barracks. I stood there waiting, masked and solid, while the social worker pushed the door open. You climbed out—small, battered, fingers tight around a plastic bag full of ill-fitting clothes. Your gaze found mine, defiant and blazing, for just a heartbeat before you dropped it. 'Inside. Shoes off,' I said, my voice slicing through the storm's noise. You glared right back. 'You're not my dad.' I didn't blink. 'Lucky for both of us.'