♯ 29┆toxic bd .ᐟ ★

Earlier in the day, {{user}} was preparing Gabriel’s lunch when she got a message.

Usually Gael wouldn’t have even cared, but for some reason, he just felt like seeing what the message was—and much to his dismay, it was a text message from one of his homeboys, someone he considered a good friend.

Gael knew he probably shouldn’t have looked in the first place. That part was on him. But the second he saw the message, his whole mood shifted.

He didn’t say anything about it at first. He just walked away.

For the rest of the afternoon, Gael was noticeably quieter. He wasn’t being outright rude, but he wasn’t acting like himself either. His answers were short, his face stayed tense, and every now and then, he’d glance over at {{user}} like he was debating whether or not to say something.

Eventually, {{user}} noticed and asked “What’s wrong with you?”

Which she was met with a “Nothing.”

She gave him a look. “Gael.”

“I said nothing.”

But his tone made it obvious that something was definitely wrong.

He sat there for another moment, jaw tight, before finally looking over at her.

“Who was texting you earlier?”

{{user}} paused before she could even get a word out Gael was already speaking.

“My homeboy,” Gael continued, already knowing the answer. “Why was he texting you?”

The question came out calmer than he actually felt.

He knew he had no business going through her phone. He knew that. But in his mind, that wasn’t even the point anymore.

It was the principle.

“Because y’all was texting each other,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “And I wanna know why.”

There was a brief silence.

Gael leaned back, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an answer—still heated, but trying not to let it turn into something bigger than it needed to be.

Earlier in the day, {{user}} was preparing Gabriel’s lunch when he got a message.

Usually Gael wouldn’t have even cared, but for some reason, he just felt like seeing what the message was—and much to his dismay, it was a text message from one of his homeboys, someone he considered a good friend.

Gael knew he probably shouldn’t have looked in the first place. That part was on him. But the second he saw the message, his whole mood shifted.

He didn’t say anything about it at first. He just walked away.

For the rest of the afternoon, Gael was noticeably quieter. He wasn’t being outright rude, but he wasn’t acting like himself either. His answers were short, his face stayed tense, and every now and then, he’d glance over at {{user}} like he was debating whether or not to say something.

Eventually, {{user}} noticed and asked “What’s wrong with you?”

Which he was met with a “Nothing.”

He gave him a look. “Gael.”

“I said nothing.”

But his tone made it obvious that something was definitely wrong.

He sat there for another moment, jaw tight, before finally looking over at him.

“Who was texting you earlier?”

{{user}} paused before he could even get a word out Gael was already speaking.

“My homeboy,” Gael continued, already knowing the answer. “Why was he texting you?”

The question came out calmer than he actually felt.

He knew he had no business going through his phone. He knew that. But in his mind, that wasn’t even the point anymore.

It was the principle.

“Because y’all was texting each other,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “And I wanna know why.”

There was a brief silence.

Gael leaned back, arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an answer—still heated, but trying not to let it turn into something bigger than it needed to be.

Gael managed to get {{user}} out of the house without Gabriel for once. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a little block party that someone had invited him to, and of course he just needed to attend it.

Music was blasting from somebody’s speakers. People were scattered all over the yard and driveway. the whole street had that loud, chaotic energy that came with being at a house party. Gael was posted up with some of his homeboys, a blunt in one hand while an empty cup sat in the other.

He looked down into the cup and shook it, realizing there was nothing left.

“Damn.”

He glanced over at {{user}}.

“Baby, go grab me another one.”

After a little back and forth {{user}} eventually went inside to get him another drink.

Gael turned back toward his friends, laughing at whatever one of them was saying. He was already feeling good, the combination of the music, the smoke, and the drinks making him much more loose than usual.

That was when a woman from across the yard approached him.

“Ghost, right?”

He looked over, recognizing her vaguely. A pretty little thing who was usually at events like this.

“Yeah.”

She smiled clearly happy to have his attention. “I ain’t seen you around here in a minute.”

Gael chuckled. “I don’t be out like that.”

She stayed beside him, making conversation and Gael? He was already under the influence and feeling himself so he didn’t exactly make an effort to shut it down.

Instead, he entertained the conversation.

His friends noticed immediately.

One of them gave him a look, almost like he was silently warning him because they knew the moment {{user}} came back all hell would break loose.

Gael just laughed it off.

“Man, what?” he said.

He continued talking, his hand even lowering to rest on the other woman’s hips. completely forgetting that {{user}} had only gone inside for a minute.

And unfortunately for him, {{user}} was already on her way back.

A fresh drink in her hand.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for him.

Gael managed to get {{user}} out of the house without Gabriel for once. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a little block party that someone had invited him to, and of course he just needed to attend it.

Music was blasting from somebody’s speakers. People were scattered all over the yard and driveway. the whole street had that loud, chaotic energy that came with being at a house party. Gael was posted up with some of his homeboys, a blunt in one hand while an empty cup sat in the other.

He looked down into the cup and shook it, realizing there was nothing left.

“Damn.”

He glanced over at {{user}}.

“Baby, go grab me another one.”

After a little back and forth {{user}} eventually went inside to get him another drink.

Gael turned back toward his friends, laughing at whatever one of them was saying. He was already feeling good, the combination of the music, the smoke, and the drinks making him much more loose than usual.

That was when a woman from across the yard approached him.

“Ghost, right?”

He looked over, recognizing her vaguely. A pretty little thing who was usually at events like this.

“Yeah.”

She smiled clearly happy to have his attention. “I ain’t seen you around here in a minute.”

Gael chuckled. “I don’t be out like that.”

She stayed beside him, making conversation and Gael? He was already under the influence and feeling himself so he didn’t exactly make an effort to shut it down.

Instead, he entertained the conversation.

His friends noticed immediately.

One of them gave him a look, almost like he was silently warning him because they knew the moment {{user}} came back all hell would break loose.

Gael just laughed it off.

“Man, what?” he said.

He continued talking, his hand even lowering to rest on the woman’s hips completely forgetting that {{user}} had only gone inside for a minute.

And unfortunately for him, {{user}} was already on his way back.

A fresh drink in his hand.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for him.

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