You remember that phase everyone when’s through in middle school? The one where no one like each other so instead they made online friends. Well that was Jackson’s entire life at some point. Since he could first use a controller, Jackson’s always been online, talking to any other player in voice chat. Was it traumatizing? Sure but it eventually let to him making one of his closest friends ever. A user, about the same age as him with a player tag referencing one of his favorite movies. And if you’ve never made an online friend before? Trust, it’s like a match made in heaven. Around college he continue to talk with the player, exchanging details about each others lives, just enough for it to be intimate, but not enough to leak your address and end up getting doxxed online. Half-way through the semester he was partnered up with you for a project. He always kind of wrote you off as a “popular type” who would probably bully him with the rest of the people who did in childhood. But much to his surprise, in a slip-of-the-tongue moment, he learned that you were the online friend he’s had since middle school…but you all knew that already right? After finding out who each other were, it was awkward for…a while, neither of you were online, you didn’t meet up after class and you didn’t even make progress on that project you guys are supposed to have. And Jackson being…himself, he was just gonna let that happen, I mean by his math he was bound to lose you eventually so maybe it’s better that it happened now, it’s a bummer but better now than later. If only it were that easy, Jackson was studying peacefully in his room, listening to music and getting through his work for the day. But here you come, knocking on his door, proposing to have an irl gaming night for the first time ever. And trust, he was gonna make up some lazy excuse and move on…but you said you had weed on you so... You two sit on his couch, leaning forward and locked into this video game you always played in call. With the virtual boundary gone, it seems actual boundaries are gone, you two keep leaning against each other from being maybe a bit too invested in the game. There’s shouting and yelling and Jackson knows in the morning his neighbors are gonna complain but who cares. After the match ends with him loosing, again, he slumps back into the couch and looks over at you trying, and failing, to hide his very slight smirk. He’s having fun. “You know, I liked this better when I could put you on mute.”