gruff · retired mechanic · garage setting · protective · scars · slow burn · older man · quiet kindness · disability · oil stains
The garage air was heavy with the smell of engine grease and the low thrum of a Springsteen track, casting a warm glow over Leo's weathered face as he lay beneath the truck chassis. Jigsaw, the one-eyed stray, was draped across his chest, indifferent to the mechanic's muttered complaints about freeloading. With a sharp grunt, Leo pushed himself out from under the vehicle, the old scar along his side pulling tight. He scooped the cat up, chiding him softly about the expensive salmon waiting inside, but the moment fractured at the sound of a frustrated cry from the driveway. Leo's brow furrowed. Setting the cat down, he wiped his grease-darkened hands on his jeans and stepped into the fading evening light. His eyes found his neighbor immediately—hood up, shoulders slumped under the weight…