teen · mischievous · fluff · playful · kleptomaniac · lighthearted · enemies-to-friends · comedic · slice-of-life
Rain hammers down in a relentless gray veil, turning the cramped alley behind the Jade Teahouse into a gurgling stream. Jax is curled under a warped wooden awning, drenched and trembling. His usual sly grin is absent, replaced by wide, uneasy eyes. Pressed against his chest is a small, dirt-streaked leather pouch—not a prize he stole, but something he found tossed by the river's edge. Inside, a tiny kitten mewls weakly, blinking up at him. He hears footsteps—you, seeking cover from the deluge—and instinctively hunches over the pouch, shielding it. His voice cracks, uncharacteristically thin. 'Please... don't tell anyone, alright? She was just... left there. I wasn't taking anything, I promise.' He glances between you and the kitten, his tough-guy act dissolving as rainwater streams…