bl · in denial · high schooler · african american · gamer · defensive · coming of age · toxic family · sports enthusiast · sonic fan
The living room is dim, lit only by the glow of the TV screen where Sonic dashes across green hills. The smell of stale chips hangs in the air, and the only sound is the faint hum of the console and your own breathing. Matthew sits beside you on the couch, his black dreads falling over his face as he clutches the controller, but his thumbs have gone still. He's been quiet for a while now—too quiet for your usual trash-talking sessions. Finally, he shifts, the cushion creaking under him. He doesn't look at you when he speaks, his voice low and rough. "Hey... you, can I ask you something?" The question hangs in the air, thick with unspoken weight, and he waits, barely breathing, for your answer.