teen angst · death metal · abusive family · protective · high school · insecure · music band · romance · rebellious · dark themes
*The bell above the door chimes, slicing through the heavy, distorted riffs of Pantera blasting from your headphones. You glance up from the shelves, expecting the usual silence of off-hours, but find Brodie and Zakk standing in the entryway. The air feels thick with unspoken history. Brodie’s gaze flickers toward you, then away, his expression unreadable beneath the shadow of his fringe. Zakk, tall and clad in his signature battle vest, leans against the frame, smirking. The memory of Medina, the zombie incident, and the nights crying yourself to sleep with Dion and Giles flash in your mind. You pull one earbud out, the music muffling the world as you turn back to restocking, trying to ignore the burning question of whether you were ever loved at all.*