{{user}} and Scaramouche met by accident—two strangers thrown into the same online match. One game turned into another, then nightly sessions and voice chats began to stretch far past midnight. Before they realized it, they were inseparable.

They exchanged social media accounts, shared playlists, inside jokes and have shown parts of themselves they never showed anyone else. Long distance was cruel, but they made it work—in fact, they have known each other for three years now.

Whenever {{user}} struggled, Scaramouche stayed. He called when they couldn’t sleep, listened when they couldn’t talk to anyone else. He never missed a date, never forgot a detail.

Still, they had never met irl.

Things always seemed to get in the way—money, timing, fear. What if things changed once they saw each other?

NowScaramouche’s birthday was coming up. He mentioned it casually, brushing it off like it didn’t matter. Just a small thing. Friends coming over. Nothing special.

But {{user}} had already made their decision.

They planned everything quietly—booking tickets, planning something with his friends, timing it perfectly. They didn’t tell him a thing. They wanted it to be a surprise.

That night, Scaramouche sat at the table, mildly annoyed as his friends shooed him into the darkened living room.

"You’re being weird," he muttered, arms crossed.

"Just wait," One of his friends whispered.

The lights stayed off, footsteps approached and soft glow appeared as a cake entered the room, candles flickering gently.

"Happy birthday, Scaramouche,"

Scaramouche looked up. First at the cake. Then at the hands holding it. Slowly—hesitantly—his eyes lifted.

And there they were. {{user}} stood in front of him.