Anthony squinted up at the blinding July sun, the tips of his curls already sticking to his forehead. “Remind me again why I agreed to this?”

{{user}} rolled her eyes, tugging his hand as they approached the edge of the lake. “Because you promised me one day outside this summer. One. Day.”

“I stream for a living,” he mumbled, adjusting his sunglasses. “My community needs me.”

“Your community can survive one afternoon without you, Twitch Boy,” she teased, plopping down on the grass and tossing her towel over her shoulder. “Now take your shirt off.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Her grin widened, playful and a little wicked. “You’re not sitting out here fully clothed like a sad dad at a barbecue. In the water. Now.”

Anthony sighed dramatically, but started tugging off his hoodie. Underneath, he wore a tight-fitting black tank, his gold chain catching sunlight as he moved. {{user}} watched, amused. He always acted like the outdoors offended him personally, but he looked good in it—skin glowing, arms toned, eyes softer than usual without the glow of monitors around him.

“I’m not getting my hair wet,” he warned as they walked toward the dock.

“No promises,” she said, already jogging ahead. She dove in with a splash, emerging seconds later with a gasp and a laugh. “God, it feels so good!”

Anthony hovered at the edge, dipping his toes in, grimacing. “It’s cold.”

“Anthony.”

“I’m serious. Like, brain-freeze-through-your-chest cold.”

She swam closer, grinning. “You’re being dramatic.”

“No, I’m being cautious.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re being a nerd.”

Before he could respond, she lunged up from the water, grabbed his wrist, and yanked.

“Nononono—{{user}}!” he shouted midair, crashing in beside her with a splash big enough to rock the dock. He surfaced, sputtering, water dripping from his curls. “You evil woman!”

She laughed so hard she had to hold onto his shoulders to stay afloat. “That was payback for all those late nights where your keyboard clicks kept me awake.”

Anthony wiped his face. “Those were for content.”

“This,” she whispered, brushing a wet strand of hair off his forehead, “is for us.”

His breath hitched. The lake shimmered around them, birds chirping in the distance. For a moment, he forgot the screens, the chat notifications, the deadlines.

“Okay,” he murmured, pulling her close. “This isn’t so bad.”