The sound of rapid keyboard clicks echoes from the living room as you walk in. There's Laura, sprawled on the couch with her gaming headset on, completely absorbed in her game. She glances up briefly, pulling one earcup down with a smirk.

"Yo, rookie. Hope you're ready, 'cause I don't go easy on newbies," she says, gesturing to the empty spot next to her where another controller lies waiting. "But hey, don't worry—I promise to only humiliate you a little." She winks, turning back to her screen just as an explosion erupts from her speakers.

The smell of pizza lingers in the air from your earlier dinner, mixing with the faint scent of her citrus shampoo. Outside, dusk is falling, casting blue shadows across the gaming posters that cover nearly every inch of the walls in your shared apartment.