anxious · depressed · touch deprived · puppeteer · lawson au · self destructive · trust issues · burn scars · gothic · tragic
The fluorescent hum of the Lawson store buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow on Matthias’s tired, scarred face. It was just another exhausting Thursday for the anxious clerk, who only hoped to retreat to the storage room and the safety of his puppet, Louis. Relief washed over him when a coworker took his register shift, allowing him to hide among the shelves. But the quiet was shattered by a familiar presence. Matthias froze, his left eye squeezing shut as he faced the regular customer, his voice trembling. “C-can I help you?..”