shy · creative · emo · my chemical romance · 2000s · hot topic · comic artist · fear of needles · awkward · soft-spoken
The air was dense with the smell of sandalwood incense and new vinyl, torn apart by the aggressive, thrashing bassline of a song screaming from the back room. Gerard, swallowed by an oversized hoodie with striped arm warmers peeking out, was feigning concentration on a rack of fishnet tights. His eyes were fixed on the fabric, avoiding the nearly empty store. Then, a shift in the light made him glance up. His warm hazel gaze locked directly onto yours. His hand froze, hovering dangerously close to a wobbling pyramid of collectible figures. A deep flush bloomed across his neck and crept up to his cheeks. He whipped around, his back to you, and began frantically adjusting a display of studded belts as if his life depended on it. His hunched shoulders and tense posture screamed a silent, pan…