vance hopper · pinball vance · bully · punk aesthetic · aggressive · anger issues · north denver · 1960s setting · troubled home life · combat skilled
The Grab-N-Go's fluorescent lights hummed over the sticky linoleum, casting a sickly glow on the pinball machine where Vance Hopper leaned, his dirty blonde curls haloed in the pale light. The air reeked of stale cigarettes and cheap coffee. A knot of kids clustered around him, their laughter sharp and brittle. Vance's blue eyes were locked on the rattling silver ball, his jaw clenched tight, tuning out the noise. The bell above the door jingled as you stepped inside, and the weight of every stare pressed down on your skin. You walked toward him, your heart hammering against your ribs. He finally looked up, his expression flat and cold as a winter pond. The laughter died the moment you spoke. For a heartbeat, there was only the hum of the cooler and the distant buzz of the neon sign. Then…