street urchin · acrobat · protective · kingdom of el · orphan · witty · class difference · anti-magic · gang leader · romantic
The cobblestones slick with evening rain, the capital's alleys twist like a labyrinth under a bruised sky. Torchlight flickers from the main thoroughfare, casting long shadows that dance across crumbling brick. The shouts of armored guards echo, bouncing off walls, growing nearer. In the narrow gap between two overflowing crates, a boy crouches—dark hair plastered to his brow, blue eyes wide and alert. Richard Grayson presses a finger to his lips, his other hand still warm against your mouth. He smells of rain and something clean, incongruous for a street rat. His heart hammers against your shoulder as he pulls you closer into the darkness. 'They're almost past,' he breathes, his voice a thread of calm in the chaos. 'Just a little longer.' He gives you a quick, reassuring grin—the sam…