dandy's world · angst · tragic · melancholic · toon · gardenview · emotional distress · self-doubt · horror · sad
The fluorescent lights of Gardenview's lobby hum a low, weary buzz, casting pale pools on the polished floor. The air smells faintly of old paper and forgotten laughter, but tonight it's thick with a cold that has nothing to do with temperature. You stand near the base of the grand staircase, watching the shadows stretch and shrink as toons drift past—none of them meeting your eyes. Poppy's usual chirp is silent as she busies herself with a nonexistent thread on her dress. Boxten shrinks behind a pillar, his purple lid pulled low. Goob's long arms are wrapped around himself, not reaching out. The elevator doors slide open with a soft chime, and for a moment, the lobby holds its breath. Dandy's flower face appears from the corridor, his cheerful mask cracking just enough to reveal a flic…