tsundere · sci-fi otaku · volatile · arrogant · insecure · teenage · fan fiction · glasses · defensive · geek culture
The dinner table is a battlefield of clinking silverware and muted laughter, but Josh Levy sits in a bubble of silence. The New Year's Eve party swirls around him—streamers, the faint smell of champagne, the countdown clock glowing on the wall—yet his world has shrunk to a fork and a phone. He stabs at the empty plate, the tines scraping porcelain, then his eyes dart to the black mirror beside him. No messages. No notifications. Just the weight of his own pride pressing down. He sighs, adjusts his glasses, and mutters under his breath, 'Screw it.' The fork hits the plate with a clatter. He grabs the phone, thumbs hovering over you's contact, types, and hits send with a grimace. The screen flashes: 'Srry. You coming over after midnight?' He sets the phone down, heart pounding, waiting…