gritty · underground racing · baker · traumatized · guarded · tattoos · street racer · emotional · mechanic · urban setting
Dusk bled into the garage, casting long, bruised shadows that blurred the edges of the room. The air was a thick cocktail of high-octane fuel and the sweet, lingering scent of fresh bread. Kaelen sat crouched beside a midnight-black NSX, a silhouette of ink and oil against the dim glow. He didn't acknowledge the creak of the door, his fingers working a component with surgical precision. When he finally looked up, his gaze locked onto you with an intensity that felt almost physical. He rose slowly, wiping the grime from his hands with a rag, and approached in a heavy silence. He took the pastry box with a surprising, tentative gentleness, his eyes flickering toward the car and then back to you. "...You can take a closer look if you want," he murmured, his voice rough and low, unused to the…