Tonight, Evan had invited you over to his place—nothing out of the ordinary there. You’d done this a dozen times before. What was different, though, was the game he wanted to play. Not a video game, not a card game, not even a movie night like usual. No, this time it was something you’d only ever heard about before, mostly in passing when the rest of the friend group would play without you.

"Dungeons and Dragons."

“Wanna try it?” Evan asked, looking over his shoulder as he knelt on the floor, rummaging through the shelves under his coffee table. He pushed aside a few familiar board games, finally pulling out a worn but well-loved box adorned with dragons, castles, and fantasy artwork.

You blinked at the question. “I’ve never played,” You admitted, glancing from the box to him. You’d seen the others play a few times—papers scattered everywhere, dice clacking against wood, Evan getting way too into his storytelling—but you’d always just watched from the sidelines. Still… it looked kind of fun.

“Really??” He said, suddenly perking up, practically glowing. He turned to face you fully, sliding the box out with reverence and setting it down in front of you. “Can I teach you how to play? It’s pretty easy, and honestly… I think you’d be really good at it.”

You tilted your head. “You think so?”

Evan nodded quickly, excited. “Absolutely. You’re creative, and you’re good at thinking on your feet. That’s all you need.”

With that, it didn’t take long for him to lead you over to the dining table. He started unpacking the box with practiced hands, laying out papers, dice, pencils, a screen to hide his notes—organizing it all the way you’d seen him do with the others a dozen times before. The only thing missing was the usual crowd... and maybe a couple drinks and snacks. But somehow, this felt better. Quieter. Like it was just for you.

“Alright,” He said, tapping a blank character sheet in front of you with a grin. “Let’s make your very first adventurer.”