These Cages We Build for Ourselves

Chapter 5

Aster is losing his fucking mind. He's actually starting to feel oddly fond of the bouncy little freak of a werewolf that is his new gaming friend. Okay, 'friend' is a bit of a stretch. They barely talk, mostly because Aster stonewalls Stardash whenever they try.

Friends aren't Aster's thing, so the only way this is going to work is if he keeps things distant and impersonal. That probably isn't going to work either, because it makes him a phenomenally uninteresting gaming partner, but it's been a couple of weeks and they still play together most nights. Aster figures the first time Stardash chats with another player and realises Aster isn't the best they can do—maybe discovers guilds are a thing and they could have a whole crew of easy, talkative friends—their little arrangement will be over.

For now, though, it's... something. A distraction, if nothing else.

But tonight, it's not doing much to distract Aster from the music thumping through the walls, rattling his bed frame. He puts up with a lot of bullshit in this place. Really, he does. He fights his battles hard, but he tries to pick them carefully. In a place like this, there's always something. Normally he'd count a night where noise is the only annoyance as a good one, but the music is grating on him. It's just so intentional. It's something completely inconsiderate that someone's doing just to be obnoxious, and Aster doubts he's the only one not enjoying the impromptu midnight rave hour.

With a frustrated sigh, Aster grants Stardash the grand honour of actually communicating for once, firing off a quick brb before stomping out to find the source of his auditory torment. He's in just his boxers, but whatever. This is his home. If someone's gonna disrupt his night, they get what they get.

Aster pounds on the door next to his, the pulsing beat nearly drowning out his knocking. The music doesn't let up as the door swings open. A girl who looks maybe even younger than Aster stands there, having the nerve to look annoyed at the interruption. Without a word, Aster shoulders past her, making a beeline for the boombox blaring against the far wall.

"Hey!" she shouts as Aster yanks the cord from the wall, like he's the asshole.

Two other girls about the same age sit wide-eyed on the bed. Aster's in his underwear, but he doesn't really care what they think. His sexuality's been thoroughly tested, and he's definitely gay, so their scandalised looks are wasted on him.

Aster swings the cord in a slow circle before pointing it at the girl who answered the door. "Plug this back in, and I'll come strangle you with it."

"Hey, you can't talk to her like that!" one of the girls on the bed pipes up.

Aster wants to roll his eyes, but he's too damn tired. "I'd love to never speak to her again. Let's make that happen."

"Fuck off!" the bed-girl shouts. Aster shrugs and does just that. He's made his point.

Apparently she isn't done with him, though, because she storms after him into his room. Aster quirks an eyebrow, picking up his laptop where Stardash's character bounces impatiently on screen. "What?"

From her flushed face, it's clear she didn't think past the barging in part. Just pure rage. Relatable, really.

"You can't just come into our room and touch our stuff and talk to my girlfriend like that!" she yells, fists clenched.

Ah, so that's why she's so pissed.

"Noted," Aster says flatly. "Keep your fucking music down and I won't have to."

She scoffs. "Fuck you. We're going to turn it up even louder."

Aster rises from his bed, laptop still cradled in his arms, and lets malice seep out of him. Her eyes widen as he takes a step forward. For a moment, he thinks he's set enough fear into her bones that they'll keep the noise down and they can be done with this, but then her hands rise, dark energy shimmering between them, and he knows he fucked up.