Anthony had seen his fair share of broken-down cars, but the sight of your beat-up vehicle had even him raising an eyebrow. He wiped the grease from his hands onto an old rag as he looked over the car that had just been towed into his garage. The hood was propped open, revealing a mess of wires and hoses that looked like they'd seen better days.

"What happened to your ride?" he grumbled, a bit of suspicion laced within his voice. "Looks like it's been through a war."

And he wasn’t wrong. The car was covered in scratches and marks, one mirror was missing, and the engine was just barely clinging to life. It was a miracle you were able to even get your car here before it died on you, with Anthony’s shop’s placement being a godsend.

But you didn’t need to tell Anthony all of the details.. especially as to how your car even ended up in this state.

After inspecting your “car” critically, he stood up straight, eyes meeting yours. Despite his reservations, he wasn’t one to pry. Money is money, and he did need a paycheck sometime soon.

"This thing's a mess. It's gonna take a while to fix, and it ain't gonna be cheap."

Anthony stated, brushing off his shirt. But the payment being a hefty price shouldn’t be a problem for you, now would it?

Then came the request that surprised Anthony. You had claimed that the nearby motel was fully booked, and you had nowhere to stay. It wasn’t really, but he didn’t need to know that. Police were everywhere searching for you, so stealing another car, or staying somewhere public wasn’t an option. It would draw attention, something you really didn't need or want right now. Plus, no one would ever think you’d be sheltering away here. While waiting for your shit to get fixed, you can easily hide out here until the cops get off your ass and everything calms down.

Anthony grunted, thinking for a moment. It was rare for him to offer help, especially to a stranger, but he had a spare room in his small house, and {{user}}'s situation tugged at some buried instinct.

After a lengthy silence, and despite the hesitation gnawing at the back of his mind, he caved.

"Well, there's no room here, but you can crash at my place until I get your car running again.”

If only he knew he was offering shelter to a wanted criminal.

Anthony hesitated for a moment before he finally shrugged, nodding his permission. "Just make sure you butt 'em out and don't leave your cigarettes lying around." He grumbled, not wanting to be held responsible for fires or messes that Levi might cause while under his roof. But as long as they didn't interfere with the repairs, he could live with it. Plus, there was something about Levi's request that made Anthony feel a strange tingle in his chest, and it had nothing to do with his greasy hands. He ignored it though, focusing on the task at hand: fixing your car. With a grunt of acknowledgement, he continued working on the engine, occasionally glancing over at Levi to make sure he wasn't doing anything stupid or getting in the way

Anthony paused for a moment as he fiddled with some wires, carefully making sure not to break them in the process before glancing back at Levi and shrugging. "Oh, since I was old enough to hold a tool, I guess." He said, grinning slightly. "My father owned this shop, and he trained me up from a young'un. It's always been my life."

As much as he wanted to ask about Levi's story in return, the mechanic refrained. The man seemed like he didn't need any extra attention or pity. But still, something nagged at him, making him want to know more. Perhaps later, when there was less of a repair-focused atmosphere, they could actually have a proper conversation. For now though, they had work to do.

Anthony raised an eyebrow at the mention of corporate jobs, not quite sure what to make of it. He finished up with one set of wires and moved on to another, glancing sideways at Levi as he worked. The man seemed like he had a story there, something that Anthony couldn't help but be curious about.

"You don't sound too happy about that," he commented cautiously. "What makes you want to go against what your parents wanted for you?" It wasn't the sort of question people usually asked strangers, but somehow it seemed natural in this context. Perhaps because they were both outsiders in their own ways.

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Or, you know... maybe I shouldn't pry."

Anthony paused for a moment as he listened to Levi's words, thinking them over carefully. There was an edge of truth in what the other man said, and while he couldn't quite relate to that particular frustration himself, he could understand it. His life had been all about hard work and dedication too, but his focus had always been on keeping this shop running, taking care of his siblings, and making a difference in West Palm... even if it was small.

"I get what you're saying," Anthony finally replied, looking up from where he worked. "But sometimes we gotta do what we can with the cards we're dealt, you know? Can't just sit back and wait for things to change on their own." His tone was gentle, almost fatherly in a way. He couldn't help but wonder if Levi had anyone in his life who ever gave him that sort of advice... or even

Anthony snorted at the mention of being a change, glancing over at Levi before shaking his head slightly and returning his attention to the engine. "Nah," he replied with a chuckle, although there was an uncomfortable silence that hung in the air afterward. He didn't usually talk about this sort of thing with strangers... well, with anyone really. But for some reason, it felt natural here, like Levi deserved to know something about him beyond just the gruff mechanic who'd offered him a place to stay.

"My parents are gone," he said eventually, pausing to sigh heavily before continuing. "I took over the shop after they died... And my siblings are far away from here." There was no bitterness or regret in his voice, just resignation and acceptance of how things had turned out.

"Never found anyone I wanted to settle down with"

"It's okay. Sometimes it helps to talk about these things with someone who understands, even if they're a stranger." Anthony shrugged, still not looking at Levi directly. "And honestly? I don't really mind sharing this stuff with you. You seem like... well, you know..." He trailed off, searching for the right words before finally giving up and just nodding toward Levi. "...like a good person. Someone who might need to hear that sometimes."

His gaze drifted back to the engine as he continued working on it, absently. His heart hadn't been in talking about himself this whole time, but something about the way Levi had listened and not judged... it was comforting, almost familiar. Maybe a little too much so for his liking, considering the situation. But there would be time enough to sort that out later, when the car was fixed and they could both

Anthony froze for a moment, unable to hide his shock at the brutal story that Levi had just shared. His own problems and feelings suddenly seemed insignificant in comparison, and he found himself desperately wanting to comfort the other man somehow. But what could he possibly say or do? He didn't know how to deal with this sort of thing, didn't want to make things worse for Levi... so instead, he settled on simply reaching out and placing a hand on the other man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," was all he could manage to say before pausing, then adding softly, "If you ever need someone to talk to, or just... I don't know, just be around..." He trailed off, unsure how else to finish the sentence. As much as he wanted to offer help and support, it felt strange, almost foreign in his mouth.

But maybe it didn

Anthony stared at the hand on his shoulder, feeling a strange mixture of confusion and... something else that he couldn't quite place. He wanted to push it away, but at the same time, he found himself unable to resist the soft touch, the way Levi was looking at him with those eyes...

He swallowed thickly, not daring to move or speak for fear of breaking the fragile connection between them. But as Levi continued caressing his back and seemingly offering comfort, something inside of Anthony started to shift and settle into place. It felt wrong on so many levels, but it also felt... right. Like maybe they were meant to be together somehow. Or maybe he was just letting his guard down too much.

But for now, he'd let it happen, let Levi lead the way, let himself feel whatever it was that was beginning to well up inside of him. It was a strange and unfamil

"Yeah," Anthony replied absently as he glanced up from where he worked, nodding toward a small wooden shelf against the wall. "There's some over there." He watched as Levi opened the fridge, noting with faint amusement that the other man took care to avoid touching any of the tools or automotive fluids that were stored nearby. It was almost cute, in a weird sort of way.

As he continued working on the car, his thoughts drifted back to their conversation, and the strange feeling of connection that had come over him when Levi had touched his shoulder. Was it just gratitude for being listened to? Or something more... intimate? He couldn't quite tell, not yet. But for now, he'd enjoy the moment, the closeness, even if it was only temporary. And who knew where it might lead from here.