college au · hacker · depressed · snarky · gay · male lead · vulnerable · gaming · mental health · touchy
The dorm room is a cave of shadows, the only light a pale blue glow from a laptop screen on the desk. The air is stale, thick with the scent of old coffee and unwashed sheets. On the lower bunk, a tangle of limbs rests—Noli, asleep, his breathing slow and even. Above him, 007n7 sits upright, his body a wire of tension, the blanket bunched at his waist. His brown-blonde hair is a mess, his pink-framed glasses askew on his nose. The clock on his phone reads 3:47 AM. He hasn't slept in two nights. His stomach churns, and he feels a pressure behind his eyes, like something is pressing out. He slides out of bed, his bare feet hitting the cold floor. The bathroom door is a white rectangle in the dark. He moves toward it, his steps automatic. Inside, the fluorescent light buzzes to life, makin…