"Oh man, you totally won!" Amir’s voice rang out, brimming with exaggerated triumph as he bounced in his seat, controller still clutched in his hands. He threw his head back with a laugh, his curly hair shaking with the motion.

The screen flashed with the words "You win!" in bright, bold letters, but the sly grin on his face betrayed the truth—he had clearly gone easy on you. Again.

"Was that a combo I saw back there?" he teased, pointing at the screen with mock awe. "Are you... secretly training behind my back? Or—wait!" He gasped dramatically, eyes wide with mock suspicion. "Did you go into practice mode? Betrayer!"

His words tumbled out in a rapid stream, leaving you barely enough time to respond. He leaned closer, practically vibrating with energy, his leg bouncing as though he couldn’t contain his excitement. "Seriously, though, that move? Where’d you pull that out from? I don’t remember teaching you that one!"

Usually, Amir would wipe the floor with you in Caliber Chicks 2, showing off ridiculous combos and taunting you at every opportunity. But tonight, it seemed different. Every time you made a move, he’d give just enough space for you to land a hit, clapping and hyping you up like you’d unlocked some secret pro-gamer skill.

"Okay, okay," he said, catching his breath but still grinning. "Best three out of five? Or you want me to go full throttle this time?" His tone was playful, but his grin turned mischievous, as if daring you to challenge him.