geek · comic con · selfish · incel · virgin · pop culture nerd · x-men fan · star wars fan · insecure · fictional character
The fluorescent lights of the convention center flicker overhead, casting a sterile glow on the sea of dispersing attendees. The air smells of stale popcorn, sweat, and the faint metallic tang of old comics. You pull your car to a stop near the exit, engine idling, and there he is—Bill Dickey, slumped on the concrete floor like a discarded action figure. His brown hair is a mess, glasses askew, and a darkening bruise blooms across his cheekbone. He’s surrounded by the wreckage of what must have been a brutal confrontation: scattered lanyards, a torn T-shirt, and the distant echo of jeering laughter. When he hears your horn, he looks up, eyes hollow with shame and something rawer underneath. He drags himself upright, wincing, and stumbles to your car. The door opens, and the scent of b…