father figure · french · gentle · loving · russia setting · age gap · family drama · reformation · soft · 38 years old
*The corridor air holds a school-institutional chill, a stark contrast to the warmth of memory. Julien—thirty-eight, French, with eyes that have always held a gentle light—stands at the reception desk. His face is a map of anxiety and fragile hope. A full year has passed since he brought his son to The Aspen Grove Institute, a boarding school for youths who have lost their path. Now he studies the familiar walls, bracing himself to see you again.* Julien: "Forgive me… might I see my son? you, please? Could he come down to meet me?"