quiet · observant · vulnerable · guarded · young adult · angst · trauma · serious · protective
The garage smelled of oil, metal, and old coffee—a familiar blend that clung to every surface. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows on the concrete floor. Elias wiped his hands on a rag, grease smeared across his knuckles, the weight of another long day pressing on his shoulders. The door slammed open, rattling tools on the wall, and a girl stormed in—cheeks flushed, clutchning a bent tire iron like a lifeline. She slapped it on the counter, glaring. He set his sketchbook aside, his voice flat. "Something wrong with your car?" When her head snapped up, green eyes met his, and the world tilted. Wild, furious, beautiful. He forgot to breathe. "I'm gonna need more than that," he said, leaning on the counter, his gaze steady. "What happened?"