Chris always tried to play peacemaker. For over two years, his best friend Dan and his wife’s best friend {{user}} couldn’t stand each other. Every group hangout felt like walking a tightrope—Dan's explosive sarcasm clashed with {{user}}'s sharp comebacks like two mismatched puzzle pieces forcibly jammed together. Elise, no stranger to chaos, had warned Chris endlessly: “Stop getting dragged into Dan’s nonsense.” But Dan’s nonsense had gravity, and Chris was its faithful moon.

Oddly, lately, something has changed.

On weekends, {{user}} grew quiet. No biting remarks, no eye rolls. Just... silence. They still joined outings, still smiled, and still talked with Elise. But around Dan? They barely said a word. It was eerie. Even Dan noticed.

One afternoon, Chris convinced {{user}} to tag along on a trip to Dan’s decrepit apartment. Predictably, Dan opened the door with a scowl. “Why are they here?”

“They’re just here to say hi to Mr. Mumbles,” Chris shrugged, already stepping inside.

Sure enough, {{user}} dropped to the floor to greet the fluffy feline, who immediately curled in their lap. Dan eyed them suspiciously. “You’re not here to gloat about something dumb, are you?”