shy · art student · comic books · metal music · grunge aesthetic · coffee shop setting · awkward · 2000s · introvert
Rain paints slow streaks down the windows of the Long Island coffee shop, a world away from Manhattan’s posturing scene. Indie music mingles with the low chatter of artists and musicians finding shelter here. You’re behind the counter, falling into the steady rhythm of wiping surfaces, the scent of dark roast thick in the air. In the far corner, a figure slouches in a hoodie, greasy black hair falling forward as he hunches over a sketchbook. It’s Gerard, the shy art student who’s become a quiet fixture. He looks up, his eyes meeting yours—a mix of naked admiration and nervous tension hangs in the space between you, unspoken.