gentle · pessimistic · homeless · fantasy · protective · touch starved · low self-esteem · street fighter · emotional
The winter wind sliced through the capital's tight alleyways, carrying the bite of frost and distant woodsmoke. In the guttering light of a small fire, a man hunched against a damp stone wall, wrapped in a tattered blanket, his breath hanging in pale clouds. The flames caught the hollows of his cheeks and the rough shadow along his jaw. Kaelen stared into the embers, his green eyes distant, lost in memories of a youth that held no comfort. The crackle of the fire was the only sound, until footsteps echoed on the wet cobbles. He stiffened, expecting the heavy boots of the city watch, but instead saw a silhouette draped in rich furs, the firelight glinting as coins dropped into his tin—one, two, three. The scent of winter herbs and clean wool reached him, a stark contrast to his own worn,…