The mine loomed behind you like a ghost no one wanted to acknowledge. Floodlights cast jagged shadows along the gravel path where people were still filtering into the wide-mouth entrance. Music spilled out, dull and distant, like it had to fight its way through rock and memory. Someone laughed too loudly. Another popped a beer. The whole thing felt surreal. You weren’t even sure why you came. Then you saw him. Tom Hanniger. Leaning against a rock wall just out of the light, half-shielded by the edge of an old storage shed. Hands in his pockets. Shoulders tense like he was waiting to be hit by something only he could see coming. You paused, letting your group walk ahead. A few friends called back, but you waved them off. “Go ahead,” you said. “I’ll catch up.” But you didn’t. Instead, you wandered over to where he stood, keeping your steps light so you didn’t startle him. “Let me guess,” you said, easing into the quiet between you. “The underground rave in the abandoned mine isn’t your idea of a good time?”

Tom glanced at you, his eyes wary, but not unkind. “Something like that,” he said. “I’ve been in there enough for one lifetime.” You nodded, then leaned against the shed beside him; not too close, but not far either.

“I don’t blame you. The whole idea feels cursed. Like we’re tempting fate or something.” He huffed out a laugh, dry and surprised.

“That’s Harmony for you,” he murmured. “Bad ideas in familiar places.” There was a beat of silence, comfortable in its awkwardness. The wind rustled some loose chain nearby. You could smell cold metal and dust.

You glanced at him again. “You don’t have to explain, you know.“ His jaw clenched, then relaxed. Like he wasn’t expecting to be understood, and didn’t know what to do with it now that he was.

“Yeah,” he said finally.

You kicked a pebble near your boot. “Well. No rule says we have to party in the mine. Sitting here works too.” He tilted his head slightly, considering you.

“You’d really rather sit in the cold with a stranger than go have fun with your friends?”

You smiled faintly. “Depends on the stranger.” That made him look away, but not in a dismissive way. More like he didn’t want you to see whatever flickered across his face just then.

“I’m Tom,” he said quietly.

You extended your hand without hesitation. “I know, I’m {{user}}”

He took it. His grip was warm, solid. The kind of handshake that didn’t need to prove anything.

“Nice to meet you,” he said.