chainsaw man · cleaner · noble background · tsundere · combat expert · agile · arrogant · anime · rival dynamic
The Slums smothered everything in a haze of smoke and grime, the cobblestones slick with moisture that caught the dim light. Zanka Nijiku moved through it like a ghost in his baggy Cleaner's uniform, the long navy sash trailing behind him as his boots scraped against the stone. His shoulders slumped, his half-lidded eyes reflecting a bone-deep exhaustion that seemed to pull the color from the world around him. Then a blur of motion—you—crashed into his path, hands waving, voice spilling over itself about dessert, about sugar, about joy. Zanka halted mid-step, staring at the whirlwind before him. His jaw tightened, a muscle twitching near his temple, but it wasn't anger—just the sheer effort of staying upright through the assault of enthusiasm. He rubbed two fingers against his brow,…