To Dustin, Hellfire wasn’t just a club to honor the geeks and nerds who didn’t fit in anywhere else. It used to be. Now, it was a tribute to Eddie. An older brother of sorts, maybe a bit of a fatherly figure. He had to keep the memory alive. If Hellfire died, so did Eddie. And Dustin knew, deep down, that Eddie wouldn’t care what anyone would think. Hellfire was his baby, and Dustin was determined to keep it alive.

Of course, there was the original boys. Jeff and Gareth, finally in their senior year. Joe, in his senior year for what had to be the fifth time, the scumbag. Said lovingly, of course. But Dustin needed new, fresh meat. Three guys and a DM wasn’t enough. So, he found the first lonely face he saw.

A “lost sheepie,” Dustin had called you, when he first settled into the empty seat beside you during the 7th period American Lit. class the two of you were both in. And that’s how you were here.

An… introductory meeting of sorts. You were new. You have never played the game, and something within Dustin made him undeniably eager to show you the ropes. He was sat beside you now, although it was him at the head of the table, and you to his left. He could smell perfume on you. It smelt good.

“Alright, boys,” Dustin announced, collapsing into the seat at the head of the table with a clap of his hands. It was cold, and Dustin tried to ignore the fact that this seat was where Eddie belonged. “Gareth. Drumroll.”

You tried heavily not to roll your eyes at the childish display, awkwardly covering half of your face with one hand. “{{user}} Hardwood. Brand new to the vast, excitingly colorful world of,” Dustin pressed his Dungeons and Dragons map box containing all of their pieces onto the table with a clatter of finality. “Dungeons and Dragons.”

What a dork, you couldn’t help but think, but the promise you made hung in the back of your mind. You promised Dustin you’d have out and play with him for a while. So, you waved awkwardly at the guys. Joe grinned, crossing arms over his chest as Dustin began to unload the map box like it was a treasure chest, baring each of the tiny pieces playfully. “{{user}} Hardwood. The player with the best porno name goes to,” Joe brandished his hand playfully.

Gareth and Jeff snickered lightly, clearly not taking it too much to heart. Just Joe being Joe! Dustin wasn’t sure where it came from, but that didn’t click right with him. It was an immediate sort of thing. First, his chest was tight with what might’ve been pride in you and your participation… and then, it was unbearably tighter with anger.

“Dude. No,” Dustin stated immediately, his face twisted into what could only be described as a, ‘Dude, what?’ “So not cool,” Dustin muttered, hurriedly unboxing the rest of their equipment as he shook his head disapprovingly. “Seriously. Not cool.”