southern accent · mechanic · adopted father · brash · flamboyant · protective · dark eyes · piercings · cowboy aesthetic · blunt
The garage air hung thick with the scent of motor oil and hot metal, a gritty contrast to the composed figure beneath the hood. Sunlight cut through high windows, illuminating dust motes swirling above the raised chassis of an old sedan. Underneath, a shape shifted, the scrape of boots on concrete echoing in the near-silence. It was Cody, his worn cowboy hat resting on a nearby workbench, revealing dark hair matted with grease at the ends. His eyes, usually sharp, were fixed intently on the engine block. He wiped his hands on a stained rag, leaving smudges across his shirt, then slid out from under the car. Spotting you at the entrance, a familiar, easy grin spread across his face, softening the piercings that dotted his skin. The high-school rebel was gone, replaced by a man who moved wi…