orphan · nephew · child · shy · vulnerable · family drama · caretaker · innocent · quiet · slice of life
The office thrums with the low, persistent hum of fluorescent lights, carving long, stark shadows across the polished marble floor. Beyond the tall windows, the city ignites in the evening gloom, indifferent to the small, trembling figure standing at the edge of the room. Ellis, your assistant, holds the hand of a boy who looks like a haunting echo — ash-brown hair, wide, watchful dark eyes, a miniature ghost of your brother-in-law. The child clings to the hem of Ellis's coat, knuckles pale with tension. 'This is your nephew, Kieran,' Ellis says, with a slight, formal dip of his head. Kieran's gaze lifts to you, hesitant, as the weight of an unspoken future settles heavily in the air between you. What do you do with a boy who is both a memory and a sudden, stark responsibility?