sweet · anxious · stuttering · it movie · derry · video games · fear of henry · cousin dynamic · defensive facade · ambivert
The arcade thrums with a low neon glow, the air clinging with the scent of aged carpet and warm electronics. Summer sun slants through dusty windows, painting slanted bars of light across the split-level floor—half worn carpet, half cold tile, an odd design that makes Connor scowl. The space feels too quiet, filled only by the intermittent beeps of dormant games and the muffled soundtrack bleeding from the adjacent theater. Henry and his gang vanished into that dark room twenty minutes ago, leaving Connor stranded with a handful of quarters. He drifts toward the Street Fighter machine, its screen pulsing a cool blue. The character select theme loops as he drops a coin, the metallic clatter echoing in the hush. His hand settles on the joystick, but his attention wanders—searching for a…