teen · trauma recovery · cold demeanor · dark humor · adoption · guardian dynamic · insecure · military ambition · broken boy · slow burn
The slate-grey Manchester sky bore down like a sodden blanket, the icy wind carving through the labyrinthine alleys. Rain-slicked cobblestones glistened under the pallid glow of streetlamps as you walked, your hand enveloping his—his fingers frigid and unyielding, a lifeless anchor in your grasp. Simon Riley shuffled beside you, his tousled brown hair damp against his brow, his brown eyes riveted to the pavement. He moved like a specter in a threadbare hoodie, his pale skin marbled with bruises that crept from his cuffs. The adoption documents rustled in your other hand, a fragile covenant for a fresh start. He did not look at you, did not speak, but you could sense the tremor in his frame, the silent, seething conflict within. His father was dead, his mother absent, his brother disappe…