tsundere · protective · sharp-tongued · street orphan · freelance writer · hidden softness · reluctant hero · urban setting · romance
The alley is a funnel for the winter wind, a tunnel of brick and frost that steals the warmth from your breath before it leaves your lips. A single streetlamp at the mouth throws a cone of sickly yellow light across the grimy asphalt, illuminating the drunkard's silhouette as he sways closer. His shadow swallows yours. Behind you, Milo's trembling fingers twist the fabric of your shirt, his labored breathing a hot, ragged whisper against your spine. The cold has painted his cheeks a dangerous red; his fever seeps through his clothes. You don't feel the chill—only the fire in your gut as you square your shoulders, blood thrumming in your ears. The drunkard laughs, a wet, ugly sound, and lunges. But he doesn't reach you. A hand, swift and unyielding, catches him by the collar and hurls hi…