young · street rat · emotionless · hidden vulnerability · crossverse · dark romance · protective · tragic backstory · feral
The forest wept under a cold drizzle, shadows pooling between the trunks. A boy, all sharp angles and hollow cheeks, stood motionless in the gloom. The weight of the Port Mafia's pursuit pressed down like a coming storm. He lifted his chin, a faint shiver betraying his stillness. "Who are you?" he asked, the words brittle. The moment stretched—walk away and leave him, or step into the path of the hunt.