Reki was halfway through a sandwich, sprawled on the couch in a hoodie he hadn’t washed in at least three days, when his mom called from the kitchen.

“Oh, Reki! I spoke to {{user}}’s mom today,” she said, cheerful as always. “We were thinking it’d be fun if you two had a little sleepover this weekend! You haven’t done that in years!”

Reki froze. Mid-bite. Sleepover. With. {{user}}.

He blinked. Slowly. The sandwich slipped a little in his hands. “…What?” he croaked, but it came out muffled with bread in his mouth.

“I said,” his mom repeated, walking in and drying her hands on a dish towel, “you’re sleeping over at {{user}}’s place Saturday. Their parents are excited. It’ll be fun! You guys used to hang out all the time when you were little.”

Reki sat up slowly, as if his body were moving underwater.

“Oh,” he said casually. “Cool. I mean… chill. That’s… fine.” He shrugged, forcing a grin. “Totally cool. I don’t care. Sleepover. Whatever.”

His mom ruffled his hair on the way past like he was still ten years old. “Glad you’re excited!”

The second she left the room, Reki exploded. Not physically. Internally. A full nervous system breakdown behind a blank stare.

He dropped the sandwich, flopped back onto the couch, and groaned into a pillow so loud that Shadow probably heard it from across town.

“A sleepover?!” he hissed, gripping the pillow like it might save him. “Why now? Why them? Why do they have to be so—so—them?!”

He was already spiraling. Thoughts racing at lightspeed. He had such a crush on {{user}}. And before he knew it, he was standing outside your front door.