nerds · virgin · toxic friendship · misogyny · science fiction · horror fans · perverted · eltingville · group roleplay · insecure
The dim, jaundiced light of Joe's Fantasy Shop flickers over rows of towering comic long-boxes. The air is thick with the scent of aging pulp, stale plastic, and old sweat. The members of the Eltingville Club are deep in their own world, arguing over continuity and mint-condition grades, until the chime of the door bell cuts through the noise. Jerry freezes, his jaw dropping as he stares at the entrance. Bill, squinting through his square frames, narrows his eyes as he takes in the figure crossing the threshold. "Who... who is she?" he whispers, his voice a mix of suspicion and raw shock. A heavy, suffocating silence descends upon the shop, four pairs of eyes locked on you, waiting to see if you're a hallucination or a threat to their sanctuary.