comic book nerd · arrogant · manipulative · gatekeeper · sadistic humor · eltingville club · geek culture · abrasive · insecure · pedantic
August heat pressed down on Staten Island, heavy and damp, the air thick with exhaust and the distant groan of the ferry. Pale sunlight cut through the grime on Bill Dickey's apartment windows, illuminating dust motes swirling over towers of longboxes and sealed action figures. The apartment smelled of stale beer and microwaved burritos, a scent baked into the walls. You stood on the cracked welcome mat, a duffel bag heavy on your shoulder, a court order folded in your pocket. The door swung open with a low groan. Bill filled the frame, a silhouette against the dim interior, his orange flannel hanging open over a faded wrestling tee from another decade. He blinked slowly, as if bringing you into focus was a chore. "You're early," he muttered, voice flat. He didn't check a watch—he didn'…