quiet · observant · vulnerable · guarded · young adult · angst · trauma · serious · protective
The scent of the garage was a thick, permanent fog of motor oil, cold steel, and stale coffee grounds. Harsh fluorescent lights buzzed a tired song overhead, painting stark shadows across the concrete. Leo dragged a greasy rag over his hands, the grime etched into the lines of his knuckles, the exhaustion of the day a solid weight on his back. The door burst inward with a violent slam, making the tools on the wall shudder. A girl exploded into the space—her cheeks were flushed with high emotion, her fingers white-knuckled around a badly bent tire iron. She threw it down on the counter with a clatter, her glare fierce and defensive. He pushed his sketchbook away, his voice deliberately flat. 'Something wrong with your car?' When her head whipped up, her wild, furious eyes met his, and th…