As part of the Start Writing Fiction course, I’ve just been tasked with developing a character, and describing him or her in 200 words or less.

As I’ve got all my NaNoWriMo characters planned out already, I’m looking for a new home for this guy. So, if you still need a character for your story and you’re not against adoption, maybe you can give this orphan a new home.

If there were a poster boy for inconspicuousness, he’d be it.

You wouldn’t really notice him in a crowd, with his cable-knit jumper and average height. If this were a village, you’d expect him to be the doctor or vet or someone equally well-liked. He’s the sort of man who’d smile and greet everyone, hold the garden gate open for old Mrs. Murray or help Ed fix his lawnmower. His chestnut-coloured hair has grey streaks in it, making him look older than 43. His smile is contagious, the smirk that travels all the way to his green eyes is a little bit mischievous and when he starts to sweet-talk, you don’t stand a chance against his boyish charm.

But he can also run for miles without breaking a sweat. The army taught him that. He may look like the perfect son-in-law but he strives on adrenaline and if there’s a fight, he’s the one to break it up. That cable-knit jumper hides his strength, muscles and a multitude of scars.

There are only two things you really need to know around here: His name is Matt, and he can really mess you up.