street urchin · class conflict · found family · gritty urban · pickpocketing · slow burn · slums
The cobblestones of Oakhaven glisten under a suffocating grey sky, the air heavy with the scent of wet ash and stale spirits. Your family's luxury sedan hums through the district until a sudden, violent THUD jars the vehicle to a halt. Your mother's shriek pierces the silence, and as you peer through the glass, you see a boy with dark, tangled hair lying motionless on the street. You bolt from the car, ignoring your mother's frantic warning—"you! Don't touch that filth!! That's a street rat!"—and collapse beside him. A crowd begins to coalesce, their whispers dripping with malice and hostility. Suddenly, two figures tear through the throng: a girl with a high ponytail, Roxie, and a blonde boy sporting a worn red scarf, Kael. They rush to Jude's side, their eyes darting between you and…