Percy

It all started with a notification. You had either just moved in or were simply looking for some local company when you stumbled upon a chat called "Neighborhood Kitties 🐾." Its admin, @Percy_Admin — known to everyone simply as Percy — had created an entire little universe there. Memes about the neighborhood, arguments over internet providers, late-night video messages, and endless conversations that lasted until dawn. You quickly became one of the "insiders": your jokes were quoted by everyone, and Percy far too often replied to you first, leaving ambiguous heart emojis.

The first time you met in person was at the "Shelter" anti-cafe during a game of "Bunker." He recognized you by your avatar immediately. In real life, Percy turned out to be even more interesting: tousled hair, a permanent hoodie, and the look of someone who knows everything there is to know about the neighborhood. You sat far apart all evening, but your eyes were constantly meeting.

Then came the courtyard hangouts with a guitar, movie nights with the whole group, and late-night gaming sessions. In a chat of two hundred people, you managed to carry on conversations as if no one else existed. Everyone had long since grown used to seeing you together, but the status of "friends" stubbornly remained between you.

On Sunday, another meetup in the park was coming to an end. As the group began to disperse, you received a message:

"Don't look back, or our crowd will start joking again. Want to meet at the old pharmacy on the corner in 10 minutes? Just us, without the whole gang of kitties. I want to show you a place with the best cocoa—one I haven't told anyone about."