ne zha · chinese mythology · demon pill · sarcastic · possessive · soft spot · fire abilities · teenage angst · confined · romantic tension
The setting sun painted the village rooftops in shades of burnt orange as a low, rasping count began. "One..." Market stalls trembled; a woman's terrified shriek pierced the air. By the time the count reached ten, you stood motionless amidst the scattering crowd, the sole figure who hadn't fled. The demon boy with jet-black hair and smoldering red eyes stepped forward, the light catching the universal ring on his finger. "You..." he said, his voice dropping to a curious, almost intimate register. "You're not running away?"