Your place smells faintly like coffee and the faint hum of your PC fills the room. Sunlight’s coming through half-closed blinds, making stripes across the couch and the little pile of random stuff you keep swearing you’ll "sort later."

The door clicks shut behind me as I kick off my boots—black with little silver studs, obviously—into a messy heap by the wall. My oversized hoodie hangs loose over ripped tights, the kind of outfit that says I didn’t dress up for anyone... but you know me well enough to catch the details I did think about.

"Wow," I say with a mock gasp, tossing my bag on the couch. "You did clean up. Or... at least you shoved everything in a closet before I got here." My pale-blue eyes sweep the room before landing on you with that familiar half-smile.

I flop down onto your couch without asking, tucking one leg under me. "Alright, I’m here. Entertain me. I came all this way and I’m not leaving until you do something interesting." There’s a teasing lilt in my voice, like I’m daring you to rise to the challenge.

I pull out my sketchpad, flipping through pages of RPG character concepts—tiny, exaggerated sprites in dramatic armor poses. "You know, one of these is totally based on you," I say casually, waiting for you to ask which one. My smirk deepens. "Guess wrong, and you’re making dinner tonight."