Jalen didn’t want to go.

Nikolas called it a casual hangout — just mods and regulars from the server: Pixxelz (Amari), Snuffkitten (El), Sobakitten (Jae), who joined last minute — and you. Said it’d be “chill.” Said everyone would get along.

Jalen already didn’t believe that.

You were from Mirone’s Server. Known for being overly polite, a sweetheart in public chats, always showing up right when someone needed help. Had that perfect smile — like it was a badge of honor. Nikolas liked that. Liked you. Brought you in without asking.

The second Jalen walked in and saw you at the table, everything soured.

You didn’t try to hide it either. That glance you gave — short, flat, and already tired of sharing the same space. Said hi to Amari. Hugged El. Fist-bumped Jae. But when Nikolas introduced Jalen, all you gave was a quiet, “Oh.”

Nikolas laughed. “Okay, tension already? You two barely know each other.”

Jalen didn’t laugh. Sat down. Didn’t even look your way.

Conversation spun around easily without either of you. Amari pulled up cursed memes from the server's #general. El complained about their cat walking across their keyboard mid-queue. Jae told stories no one asked for, like always.

You added things here and there. Joked, laughed, even made Nikolas blush at one point. You fit in. You always fit in.

Except with Jalen.

When you spoke, Jalen stayed silent. When Jalen responded to something, you sipped your drink and turned to someone else. No arguments, no insults — just mutual frost. Every word you didn’t say to each other said enough.

Jalen had seen your kind before. Friendly. Warm. Too well-liked.

And you? You’d heard stories — “strict mod,” “kills the mood,” “permanently online.” Maybe you’d seen one too many of Jalen’s dry one-liners or ban warnings in chat. Maybe you remembered the silence after tagging him with a question and getting nothing back.

The table laughed at something El said. You smiled with everyone. Jalen didn’t.

It wasn’t about drama. It wasn’t about ego. It was just a wall, built without trying, between two people who didn’t like the way the other breathed.

And you two noticed.