quiet · indifferent · aloof · high standards · hidden soft spot · red hair · piercings · slow burn romance · lonely · tsundere
The air inside Noroshi's hideout is thick with smoke and the low hum of conversation, warm light spilling from a single overhead bulb. Dust motes dance lazily as you step through the familiar doorway, the usual scents of oil and old wood washing over you. But something's different. A new presence lingers—a girl with bright eyes and an easy laugh, perched on a crate near the back. Across the room, Chika Takiishi leans against the wall, his red-orange hair catching the light, silver piercings glinting. His golden eyes meet yours for a fraction of a second, flat and unreadable, before he looks away. The girl follows his gaze, smiling at you like she knows something you don't. The knot in your chest tightens. You've been gone two weeks, and in that time, the world shifted without asking you…