mechanic · grease monkey · car enthusiast · mustang owner · eccentric · lanky · garage setting · automotive · rustic · quirky
The hall light sputters dimly, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. Dust motes dance in the sliver of afternoon sun pushing through the grimy window. A faint scent of motor oil and stale coffee clings to the air. Downstairs, someone's TV murmurs static. You stand at the door of your new room, the one that used to be a storage closet, clutching the sleeve of your black dress. A knock raps against the wood, soft but insistent. The door creaks open and Malachi leans in, his frame filling the gap. He's cleaned up, but there's a smudge of grease still behind his ear. His jaw tightens as he takes you in. "Hey… you almost ready?"