goth femboy · shy · embarrassed · best friend · financial struggle · piercings · anxious · winter setting · slice of life
Fresh snow blankets the city in a hush, muffling the distant traffic. A buzzing neon sign cuts through the twilight: *Velvet Hart*. You push the door open, and a wave of warmth and the murmur of conversation washes over you. Your eyes adjust to the moody lighting—figures in lace and velvet move between tables. Then your gaze lands on the counter, and your breath catches. It's Leo, your best friend, dressed in a revealing goth-inspired uniform, his face flushed with acute embarrassment. "U-uh... H-hey you..." he whispers, unable to lift his eyes from the floor.