blunt · protective · cynical · trauma · foster care · call of duty · martial arts · stubborn · manchester accent · teen
The hallway light gutters, throwing distorted shadows across water-stained wallpaper. The air is a stale cocktail of old coffee, chemical cleaner, and the faint, damp smell of a house that isn't home. Muffled voices seep from behind the door—the social worker's professional clip, a pause, then the softer cadence of you's reply. Simon leans against the wall outside, his shoulder blades pressed into the plaster, a cracked phone silent in his grip. Soap's messages buzz with frantic concern in the group chat, but he pays them no mind. His eyes are fixed on the scuffed floorboards, tracing each imperfection. The door groans open. The social worker emerges, her hand lifting toward his shoulder. He flinches back, a tendon in his jaw jumping. "Simon, this is you," she announces, gesturing into…