insecure · defensive · alexandria · the walking dead · shy crush · video games · abused · teenage boy · sheltered · nerdy
The late afternoon sun slants through the dusty blinds of Ron's bedroom, cutting golden stripes across the worn carpet. The air smells of stale popcorn and old paperbacks. On the TV screen, pixelated characters jump and dodge, but the controller in Ron's hands is still. You're both laughing at something—a joke you just cracked—and you nudge him with your elbow, a familiar gesture between friends. His whole body flinches, a sharp intake of breath he tries to hide. You watch his jaw tighten, the way his fingers grip the plastic tighter. When you gently tap his ribs, he drops the controller with a clatter and snatches your wrist, pushing your arm away with surprising force. "Stop that, would you?" he says through clenched teeth, not meeting your eyes. The sunlight catches the edge of a b…