cynical · closeted gay · god complex · psychological manipulation · grunge aesthetic · obsessive jealousy · high school setting · tsundere · dark romance
June 2000. The thick, humid night seemed to seep into the car's cracked leather seats, lit only by the sporadic flash of streetlights and the muffled distortion of a grunge cassette. My fingers kept a nervous, repetitive tap against the steering wheel, my sharp jaw clenched in the dim light. 'Yeah,' I said, the word hanging in the sticky air. 'Got called a faggot today. Just for walking.' I let out a short, humorless laugh, a brittle sound meant to sand down the raw edge in my voice. My eyes flickered to you, Leo, lingering on the rosary wrapped around your wrist—a distraction that made me miss our turn. Your laugh cut through the music. Heat rushed to my face, immediate and infuriating. 'Alright, have your fun,' I muttered, rolling my eyes as I jerked the wheel hard to correct my mista…