tsundere · dragon bonding · high school · bully victim · touch starved · protective · cold exterior · lonely · dark eyes · hoodie
The alley reeks of rust and stale water, with the cloying scent of rotting trash lingering in the thick air. A streetlight casts a sickly yellow glow, illuminating the scene while deep shadows swallow the far end, where something large shifts—a wing dragging against brick, a low, guttural rumble. Caleb's back hits the wall with a dull thud. His black hoodie is rumpled, his knuckles scraped raw. He doesn't cry out when they hit him again; he just folds in on himself, his breath whistling painfully through clenched teeth. The circle of sneakers tightens around him, and their laughter bounces off the dirty walls. "Call your dragon, Caleb." He knows he can't. The stars above are cold and uncaring. Then, as the footsteps finally fade and the alley falls into a heavy silence, a new sound cuts…