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After about 20 minutes, I had to put headphones on. The music's always kinda annoyed the crap outta me.
After 40 minutes, I had to give up on sitting with him on the couch, and move my work to the desktop instead; it's pretty hard to concentrate with colors flying around in your peripheral vision, and there's no way I'd ask him to stop playing.
After nearly two hours, I get up to check on him; he's sat exactly the same way I left him — one leg folded under him, the other tucked up to his chest, chin on his knee, his arms are looped around his shin and his thumbs move in short, frenzied bursts against the buttons of the controller.
The TV screen is a mess of twisting, falling blocks of color, and the music is playing so fast that it hardly sounds like anything anymore, but the look on his face is nothing but calm.
A box in the right hand corner shows his score, and just above that, the level he's on. "Jesus!"
Nate flinches a little, but it doesn't affect his playing. "What? Are you alright?"
"Think I should be askin' you that. You're on level 176. Didn't know Tetris had that many levels!"
He laughs through his nose, a bright smile blooming on his face. "Could you be any more judgemental?" He asks — it almost sounds like a dare.
"Hey, no, 'm not judgin'! I'm impressed…maybe a little concerned…"
Nate laughs, still intently focused, even as I lean forward to rest an elbow on the back of the couch, resting my chin on my palm. "That you might be a bad influence?"
"No, Baby, I'm concerned that maybe you're not playin' anymore, maybe you been assimilated or somethin'… Alright, you didn't even roll your eyes, we definitely got an issue…"
He doesn't respond. Until I start poking at his neck. "Matt. Stop."
"Gotta find the off switch…"
His shoulders are hunched up under his ears now, and he almost turns his head to look at me. The pieces are still flawlessly twisting and falling. "What? What're you- no! Matt, no! Don't…"
"…Baby…?"
"…Nate…?"
"…Sugar…?"
"’M sorry…"
"Mhm."
"C'mon, Baby, 'm sorry. No more silent treatment, please?" I lay my head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck like a cat until he sighs and his pout lessens.
"…I can't believe you were jealous of a video game. I'm dating a child."
"Ahh, I wouldn't say that too loud if I were you…" Nate narrows his eyes at me. "Baby. C'mon, you love me too much to stay mad at me."
"I'm sure I can manage a few more minutes."