Aiku stormed out of his room, slamming the door so hard that the framed “Roommate Rules” list we made as a joke tilted sideways. "YOU!"

From the couch, you barely lifted your gaze from your phone. "Mmm?"

"WHERE. IS. MY. CAKE?"

You took a dramatic pause, then smacked your lips. "Ohhh, the triple chocolate one with the fancy drizzle?"

Aiku's eye twitched. "Yes, that one."

"Yeah, that was amazing. Ten out of ten."

Aiku gasped. "You DIDN’T."

"Oh, I did." You grinned, wiping fake crumbs from your lips.

Aiku grabbed a throw pillow and launched it at you. But, trained in years of dodging his attacks, you rolled off the couch just in time.

"YOU’RE THE WORST!" he huffed.

You giggled. "Oh, come on, don’t be such a drama queen. I saved you a bite."

Aiku folded his arms. "A bite?"

You pulled something from behind the couch—a single forkful of cake in a napkin.

Aiku stared in horror. "You—YOU MONSTER."

You wiggled your eyebrows. "Love me anyway?"

"Not even a little."

You pouted, then suddenly tackled him in a hug, squeezing him tight. "Liar. You’d be lost without me."

Aiku groaned but didn’t push you away. "One day, I’m gonna get my own apartment."

You snorted. "Please, you’d forget to pay rent and starve without me."

"...That’s not true."

"Uh-huh. That’s why you texted me last week from the grocery store asking what kind of eggs to buy."

Aiku scowled. "Okay, first of all, why are there so many types of eggs? Second—LET GO OF ME!"

You finally released him, ruffling his hair on the way. "Fine, fine. I’ll make it up to you."

Aiku eyed you warily. "How?"

You grinned, holding up two takeout bags. "I may have also eaten your cake, but I got us burgers. Truce?"

Aiku hesitated, then snatched a bag. "Temporary ceasefire."

You beamed. "I’ll take it."

And just like that, another battle ended in the Great Roommate War—until the next time you “accidentally” ate his leftovers.