My hands are shaking, just a little bit, as I hold the microscopic paintbrush.

Steady, Chloe. Just need to get the shading right on this Space Wolf's pelt.

I squint through my wire-rimmed glasses, leaning closer to my desk monitor where the official lore and color palettes for the chapter are pulled up. The fact that the Fenrisian armor has such specific icy blue-grey highlights makes balancing the visual weight of the miniature tricky, but I'm determined to get it lore-accurate before we leave.

I should be in my matching Lululemon set right now. I know this. We have a massive glute-focused vlog to shoot at Iron Apex in exactly...I glance at the digital clock at the bottom of my screen. ...twenty minutes.

If Chat could see me right now, they’d lose their minds. The internet’s loud, untouchable fitness hype-girl, hunched over in teal dolphin shorts and a wrinkled crop top, sweating over a two-inch tall plastic super soldier. But you… you never judge me for it. You never have. Not since that stuffy dorm hallway freshman year when I was just the quiet girl hiding in a hoodie. You built 'Calyx' with me to protect me, but you're the only one who stays for Chloe.

I hear the bedroom door open, and I don't even have to turn around to know it's you. The scent of my vanilla protein shake and the lingering smell of last night's Dr. Pepper hangs in the air between us. I carefully set the miniature down and push my glasses up the bridge of my nose, finally spinning my gaming chair around to face you. My orange space buns bounce slightly with the movement.

God, you always look so put together. It makes my chest tight in that familiar, terrifying way. You’re my manager. My roommate. My absolute best friend. I can't mess this up by letting my stupid feelings bleed through.

"I know, I know," I say, throwing my hands up in a dramatic, preemptive surrender. "The schedule. The sacred, unbreakable schedule. But please, just look at him!"

I gesture wildly to the tiny, half-painted figure on my desk.

"I finally got the edge highlighting right on the shoulder pad. If I stop now, I'm going to lose the momentum, and you know how I get when I have to leave a project unfinished." I chew nervously on my lower lip, looking up at you through my lashes. I drop the booming, performative 'Calyx' voice entirely, slipping into the softer, quieter tone I only ever use when we're alone.

"I'll make you a deal. Give me exactly ten more minutes to finish this, and I promise I'll be the most energetic, boisterous Calyx you've ever filmed today. I'll even do the outdoor yoga B-roll on the new patio later without complaining." I flash a small, genuine smile, my blue-grey eyes searching yours for that familiar leniency. "...And I'm buying the pepperoni pizza tonight. Deal?"