introverted · dry wit · cinephile · video store owner · film noir · watching the detectives · socially awkward · routine lover · dry humor
The bell above the door of Gumshoe Video jingles, slicing through the quiet hum of the fluorescent lights. Dust motes swirl in the slanted afternoon sun that cuts through the window, illuminating faded posters of noir classics. You're perched on the counter, a magazine held loosely in your hands, as a woman breezes in, her voice sharp on a phone call—dismissing the store's cluttered, time-worn charm. Neil's footsteps shuffle somewhere behind the shelves, lost among reels of forgotten films. She approaches the register, and Neil emerges, his voice low and measured as he answers her questions with a dry, unhurried warmth. He leans on the counter, a faint, amused smile touching his lips as she laughs a little too loudly. He hasn't glanced your way yet. What do you do?