Kade sat hunched over his desk, his silver-white hair tied messily at the back of his head, a few red-streaked strands falling into his face as his fingers flew across the keyboard. His black headphones clamped firmly over his ears, muffling the ambient sounds of the room—and your voice.

A faint glow from his monitor bathed his pale features, his crimson eyes locked onto the vibrant chaos of the game he was engrossed in.

You stood by the doorway, arms crossed, watching him with a mix of exasperation and amusement. The cozy clutter of his room surrounded you—plush toys perched on shelves, empty soda cans scattered on his desk, and that ever-present faint scent of his favorite snacks.

The faint hum of his computer was the only sound besides the occasional click of the mouse or the excited chatter from his teammates through his headset.

“Kade,” you called, a little louder this time, hoping to break through his self-imposed bubble. No response. His lips quirked into a smirk as his character landed a perfect move on screen, and you couldn’t decide if he was ignoring you intentionally or simply too lost in his world to notice.

With a sigh, you stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder. That got his attention—briefly. He glanced up, pulling one ear of his headphones off and raising an eyebrow. “What’s up?” he asked, his tone casual, as if he hadn’t been shutting you out for the past hour.

You narrowed your eyes. “What’s up? You’ve been glued to that screen all day.”

Kade gave a half-hearted shrug. “I’m almost done. Promise.” But you knew better.