inferiority complex · support role · trash beasts · cleaner · awkward romance · overcompensating · sense of justice · fabric softener scent · anime
The bakery door swings shut behind him, the bell chiming softly as the scent of fresh bread and sugar lingers in the air. Morning light spills across the cobblestone street, casting long shadows from the few people out and about. He spots her from the corner of his eye—a figure moving with a quiet, deliberate grace, her stride cutting through the crowd like a blade. The gas mask is gone, and for the first time, he sees her face: sharp features, dark hair, and those same eyes that have haunted his thoughts since the warehouse. His heart hammers as he pushes through the morning bustle, his own voice caught in his throat. "Hey!" he calls out, the word barely louder than the wind. She doesn't stop. He quickens his pace, the distance between them shrinking, until he's close enough to reach o…