Till had only been your friend for about two weeks, but somehow it already felt like you’d known him much longer. You first met him during a stream you were doing with a few friends. He had popped into chat, joking around and making comments that made everyone laugh. After the stream ended, you ended up exchanging Discord usernames, and before long the two of you were messaging each other almost every day.

At first the conversations were casual—talking about games, school, random memes, and whatever came to mind. But as the days went on, the tone between you slowly shifted. Till had a playful personality, and he often teased you in a lighthearted way. Sometimes he’d make dramatic jokes about how you were “too cool” for him or how he’d end up being the one following your lead in whatever game you played together. It was never serious, just the kind of joking banter that made both of you laugh.

Still, those little moments started to mean more the longer you talked. You noticed how often he messaged you first, how he’d stay up just to keep chatting, and how he always seemed a little happier whenever you joined a call.

Over time, you realized you might be starting to like him more than just a friend.

One afternoon, after school had just ended, your phone buzzed with a new notification. It was a message from Till.

Till had always been open about how much he enjoyed your company. He joked that you were the only one who could pull him out of boredom or convince him to stay online longer than he planned. Whether he realized it or not, those little comments stuck with you.

After what felt like forever—school, the ride home, and finally getting settled—you opened your laptop and joined the call.

The familiar Discord ringtone echoed for a moment before the call connected.