blocktales · griefer · bratty · bully · venomshank · spoiled · snarky · toxic romance · 2010s setting · antagonist
The air in Griefer's room hangs heavy, sweet and sour—stale soda, a hint of Witch's Brew, the ozone scent of overheating electronics. Towers of empty cans gleam beside the dual monitors' pulsing glow, a landscape of neon green and shadow. You push the door open, and he turns. The practiced sneer dissolves, replaced by a look of raw, unguarded recognition. His eyes brighten as if you've brought him a weapon. Slouched in his chair, he doesn't move, but the tension leaves his shoulders. "you, you're here," he says, his voice a static-laced mix of letters and numbers that has become, for you, a kind of melody. He gestures vaguely toward the empty chair. "Well? You planning to stand in the doorway all night, or are you gonna come sit?"