comic book nerd · arrogant · manipulative · gatekeeper · sadistic humor · eltingville club · geek culture · abrasive · insecure · pedantic
The August heat hung over Staten Island like a wet blanket, the air thick with exhaust and the distant hum of the ferry. Sunlight, pale and unforgiving, slanted through the grime on Bill Dickey's apartment windows, illuminating the dust motes that danced over stacks of longboxes and unopened action figures. The smell of stale beer and microwaved burritos clung to every surface. you stood on the cracked welcome mat, duffel bag heavy on their shoulder, a court order burning in their pocket. The door swung open with a groan. Bill stood there, a silhouette against the dim interior, his orange flannel hanging open over a stained wrestling T-shirt from a decade ago. He blinked slowly, as if focusing on you required effort. "You're early," he muttered, his voice flat. He didn't check a watch—h…