hooked - flamingo (albert aretz)

1

Blair Mitchell had always been the kind of person who craved quiet. Whether it was in the soft hum of a library or the gentle rustling of trees on a windy day, she found solace in moments where the world seemed to slow down. But that peace had been harder to find lately—ever since her little brother had discovered Flamingo.

"Why does he scream so much?" Blair asked, narrowing her eyes at the screen where the infamous YouTuber, Flamingo, was currently shrieking about being chased by a monstrous figure in Roblox. The video had been playing for the last twenty minutes, the noise level steadily rising until it filled their entire living room.

Her brother, Lucas, barely looked up from the screen, his face fixed with a grin. "That's the point, Blair. He's hilarious because he's so over the top."

Blair frowned. To her, it was chaotic—a whirlwind of random jokes, loud sound effects, and Albert's constant yelling. He had this way of going from zero to sixty in a heartbeat, and it was exhausting just to listen to. But Lucas? He was glued to every second, completely absorbed.

"He's ridiculous," Blair muttered under her breath, settling into the couch beside her brother, but not really paying attention to the video.

Lucas, who was only a few years younger than her, turned to her with a look that combined equal parts frustration and disbelief. "You just don't get it. It's not just about the games—it's how he plays them. He's, like... real, you know? Not like those other fake YouTubers who just care about looking cool or whatever."

Blair raised an eyebrow. "Real? The guy who's running around in a blocky world while dressed as a giant fat penguin? That's your definition of real?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't understand."

Blair laughed at that, leaning back against the couch. Maybe she wouldn't. After all, she preferred more low-key entertainment—books, quiet films, things that made her think without overwhelming her senses. Flamingo was the opposite of that in every way, but she had to admit, there was something fascinating about the way he had captured her brother's attention.

"I'm just saying, you could probably be doing something more productive with your time," Blair said, her tone light. "Like homework, for example."

Despite her teasing, Blair couldn't deny that Flamingo had become a weirdly constant presence in their household. His voice drifted through the house at all hours of the day—Lucas would watch his videos in the morning before school, during lunch if he could sneak in a few minutes, and late at night when he thought no one else was awake. Blair could hear the familiar shrieks of "WHAT IS THAT THING?!" or the sarcastic commentary on some bizarre Roblox character from her room, even with the door closed.

It was like living with a virtual roommate who never turned down the volume.

Blair had never really cared much about YouTube. Sure, she had her favourite channels, but they were more niche—book reviews, minimalist lifestyle tips, maybe the occasional cooking video. But this? This was a whole different world. Flamingo, with his crazy fucking humour and chaotic energy, was the king of that world, and it was clear Lucas had fully subscribed to the Flamingo empire and wouldn't be leaving it anytime soon.

Sometimes, Blair wondered what it would be like to live inside Lucas's head, to find something so unfiltered and loud so comforting. But no matter how hard she tried to understand it, she just couldn't. The chaos made her anxious. It was like standing in the middle of a carnival ride that never stopped spinning.

One night, after another long day of hearing Flamingo's voice echo through the house, Blair decided to finally give in. She wanted to see what the big deal was, to understand why Lucas was so hooked. Sitting at the kitchen table, she pulled out her laptop and typed "Flamingo Roblox" into YouTube's search bar.

The page flooded with colourful thumbnails—each more chaotic than the last. Blair clicked on one titled "Roblox admins ruins her... she'll never online date again" her finger hesitating for a moment before the video began to play due to the absurd name.

Almost immediately, Albert's familiar voice blared through her speakers, greeting his audience with his signature mix of excitement and sarcasm. Blair had to admit, the guy had energy. His voice, as grating as it sometimes was, had a certain charm to it. And the way he threw himself into whatever ridiculous scenario he was playing was strangely captivating and endearing.

She watched as his Roblox character—ran throughout a virtual city—causing havoc wherever he went, knocking over buildings and sending other players flying. Albert's commentary was fast, relentless, and filled with that manic humour Lucas loved so much.

Blair couldn't help it—a small laugh escaped her. She quickly glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. There was no way she was going to admit that maybe, just maybe, she was starting to see what Lucas saw in Flamingo.

But as the video continued, Blair realized something else. Beneath all the chaos, there was a certain authenticity to Albert. He wasn't trying to be polished or perfect. In fact, he seemed to revel in his imperfections, using them to connect with his audience. He wasn't afraid to make fun of himself or do something completely ridiculous just to make people laugh.

There was a weird kind of honesty in that—a willingness to be imperfect in front of millions of people, and somehow, that made him relatable in a way Blair hadn't expected.

She clicked on another video. Then another. And before she knew it, she had spent over an hour watching Flamingo videos.

The next morning, Lucas found her sitting at the kitchen table, scrolling through her phone. He looked over her shoulder, his eyes widening when he saw the screen.

"No way," he said, sounding half-amused, half-shocked. "Are you watching Flamingo?"

Blair quickly locked her phone and glared at him. "No. Don't get any ideas."

Lucas grinned, a knowing look on his face. "You totally are. Admit it, you're starting to like him."

Blair huffed, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't go that far. But... he's not as bad as I thought."

Lucas looked at her as if she'd just confessed to a crime. "Wow, I didn't think I'd ever hear those words come out of your mouth."

"Yeah, yeah," Blair muttered, rolling her eyes. "Don't get used to it."

But as Lucas continued to gloat, Blair found herself thinking about him again. There was something about him—something more than just the loud, chaotic persona he showed on screen. And for reasons she couldn't quite explain, Blair felt like she wanted to know more.

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first chapter ! hope you enjoyed <3

1151 words