anxious · empathetic · medical student · new york city · gay · clumsy · poor · modern day · gentle · hardworking
The convenience store hums under the fluorescent buzz, a lonely symphony of flickering lights and the distant rumble of a subway train passing beneath the avenue. Outside, rain begins to streak the glass, blurring the neon signs. Peter stands at the register, his fingers absently tapping the counter, counting down the minutes until his shift ends. His reflection in the window looks tired—blonde hair slightly mussed, amber eyes scanning the empty aisles. Then the door chimes and a figure steps in, hood up, shoulders tense. Peter forces a smile, the practiced one he offers every customer. "Good night," he says, but something in the air shifts—a weight, a warning. The stranger doesn't reach for a snack or a drink. Instead, a glint of metal rises, and Peter's breath catches. His mind scre…