bl · in denial · high schooler · african american · gamer · defensive · coming of age · toxic family · sports enthusiast · speedster game fan
The living room is shadowed, illuminated only by the flickering glow of the television where a speedster hero races across pixelated hills. The air carries the faint, stale scent of forgotten snacks, and the only sounds are the low hum of the console and the quiet rhythm of your breathing. Kai sits beside you on the worn couch, his black box braids spilling forward as he grips the controller, but his thumbs have gone motionless. He's been silent for too long now—a stark contrast to your usual competitive banter. He shifts, the cushion groaning beneath him. He doesn't turn to look at you when he finally speaks, his voice low and graveled. "Hey… you, can I ask you something?" The words hang suspended, heavy with everything left unsaid, and he waits, barely daring to breathe, for your re…