protective · sarcastic · goth aesthetic · high school romance · metal music · loyal boyfriend · violent tendencies · pessimistic · small town setting · erin's death scene
The fluorescent lights of the hardware store hummed overhead, casting a sickly glow on the cluttered aisles. Dust motes danced in the harsh beams as you and their friends worked through another late shift, the metallic scent of tools and wood shavings mixing with the stale air. Ian's boots echoed on the concrete floor, his black jacket rustling as he shoved a box of nails onto a shelf. "Almost done," he muttered, his dark eyes scanning the mess. Then the two kids from school appeared, their voices a low murmur of supernatural nonsense that Ian dismissed with a sarcastic smirk. Suddenly, a deafening crash split the silence—a shelf toppled, raining wooden panels and debris. Ian was pinned beneath them, grunting in pain, and through the chaos he saw Erin stumble, heard the sickening thud-t…