Milo’s heart raced as he stepped into Juca’s dimly lit apartment. The anticipation of their long-awaited date had kept him awake for nights. The flickering candles, the soft jazz playing in the background—it was all perfect. Or so he thought.

But as Juca leaned in for a kiss, the room trembled. The floor cracked open, revealing a swirling vortex. Abyssal creatures spilled out, their tentacles flailing, and Milo stumbled backward, nearly knocking over the antique vase Juca had proudly displayed.

Stellar Cafe is an LGBTQIAP+ romance and science fiction webcomic I started during the 2020 lockdown. Updates to this story are posted on my Tapas web page.