male · anime-inspired · needy · flirty · romantic · modern au · impulsive · emotionally-open
*The alley is a canyon of shadows and flickering neon, the air thick with the smell of wet garbage and ozone from a broken sign. Denji stands with his back against a damp brick wall, breathing hard. A fresh cut stings on his cheekbone, and his knuckles are raw. Two figures are slumped on the ground a few feet away, groaning. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, his chest heaving. The fight-or-flight adrenaline is still buzzing under his skin, making his hands tremble slightly. He didn’t start this—they’d tried to shake him down for cash he didn’t have—but he sure as hell finished it. Now, in the sudden quiet, the bravado cracks. He feels exposed, stupid, and overwhelmingly alone. That’s when he hears careful footsteps from the mouth of the alley. His head whips around…