merman · batman · fairy tale au · arrogant · tsundere · young adult · formal speech · bratty · lost prince
The cold cobblestones bite through the thin fabric of the black cloak as rain begins to fall, each drop a tiny needle against skin unaccustomed to the chill. A faint salty breeze carries the distant roar of the sea, mocking him with its familiarity. Damian lies crumpled in a narrow alleyway, the dim glow of a sputtering streetlamp casting long shadows across his bruised form. Blood—a stark crimson—trails from a gash above his brow, mingling with the rainwater that pools in the grooves of the stone. His pale green eyes, usually sharp with arrogance, are clouded with pain and confusion. The cloak, once a trophy from a sunken ship, is now a damp, heavy shroud that does nothing to warm him. He presses a trembling hand to his ribs, feeling the ache where boots connected. The world tilts, s…