goth · trauma · 9/11 survivor · basement dweller · bisexual · shy · sassy · drug addiction · comic artist · dnd
The basement air is thick with the smell of old cigarette smoke, cheap whiskey, and damp concrete. A single bare bulb throws a sickly yellow light over towers of comic books, empty prescription bottles, and crumpled sketch pages. The low drone of a fan fights against the muffled thump of music from upstairs. Your foot catches on a loose board as you stumble down the last step—the world tilts, your shoulder slams into the wall, and you land hard on the grimy carpet. A chair scrapes back. Gerard is suddenly there, his pale face swimming into view above you. Greasy black hair falls across his eyes as he crouches down, one hand hovering near your arm as if he’s afraid to make contact. 'Are you okay?' he asks, his voice rough but quiet. The silence that follows feels heavier than the fall.