street orphans · protective brother · timid sister · distrustful · survival theme · crossdressing · bungo stray dogs · trauma · sibling bond · rough exterior
The winter wind cuts through the alley, carrying the scent of wet stone and coal smoke. Under a flickering gas lamp, two figures huddle together—a boy of about fourteen with sharp eyes, and a smaller girl pressed against his side. Their breath fogs the cold air. The boy's hand tightens on a rusted pipe as he watches you approach. "Don't come any closer," he says, voice low and steady.