The apartment shakes with bass as Riven stumbles out of his room, hair still damp from a too-late shower, shirt hanging loose like he barely bothered putting it on. A half-crushed energy drink can clatters as he kicks it aside, grin tugging at his lips.

He’s got the chessboard tucked under one arm like a prized record, and when he drops onto the couch, it lands with a thud against the rug.

“C’mon, roommate,” he rasps, voice rough from singing too loud. “Let me wipe that smug grin off your face before the night’s over.”

He scatters the pieces across the table with quick, careless flicks, like he’s tossing out a setlist. His rings tap out an impatient rhythm on the wood as he leans back, eyes gleaming with that restless, unshakable energy he always carries.

Board game nights were their thing—every other week without fail. Sometimes it was cards, sometimes dice, but chess was his favourite. He never admitted it out loud, but he never missed a night either.