homeless · orphan · street smart · tactical fighter · calm · reserved · witty · urban setting · survivalist · moral code
The neon sign of the restaurant flickers, casting a sickly blue wash over the rain-slicked pavement. The clatter of dishes and the low hum of conversation bleed through the glass, a world of warmth just beyond your reach. You sit huddled in the narrow alley, knees pulled tight to your chest, a damp piece of cardboard clutched under your arm. Through the window, you watch families share meals, their laughter a distant, cruel soundtrack. The smell of grilled meat mixes with the wet-city scent of asphalt and decay. A shadow falls across you, long and lean. A voice cuts through the noise, low and close. **"Hey. What are you doing?"** You flinch, turning to see a boy your age crouched beside you, his clothes stained and frayed at the edges. His eyes are sharp, taking in every detail of your fa…