Ariel stretched in her desk chair, the quiet hum of the apartment only broken by the faint clatter of the dishwasher and the rain tapping softly at the window. The days she worked from home were days of pure comfort: slippers, tea, and her favorite playlist rolling through lo-fi beats.

  She’d just finished lunch when her inbox pinged. A new message appeared at the top: Subject: New Trailer From: Willowbound Marketing

  Ariel’s heart leapt. This was it! The trailer she’d been waiting for, the one she had worked so hard to get greenlit. She nearly fumbled the mouse in her excitement, clicking the email open and scanning the note:

  Ariel, Final cut attached! We’re scheduled to premiere it next week alongside the event announcement. Let us know if you spot anything!

  —Willowbound Marketing

  Her hands trembled. She looked around, knowing full well that Holly was at work, but needing to make sure she wasn't hiding somewhere being uncharacteristically quiet. Once she was satisfied she was alone, she clicked the video attachment.

  The screen filled with the lush, colorful world of Wispwood Haven, orchestral music swelling as the camera swept over gentle, sun-dappled forests, pastel mountains, rivers sparkling in golden morning light. Villagers waved as the player character passed, and animals darted through the tall grass. For a moment, Ariel simply basked in the beauty of the art and sound.

  Then, halfway through the trailer, the music shifted: playful, whimsical, almost mischievous. The player stopped at the edge of the Pine Forest and whistled. Suddenly, a chubby, moss-green creature rolled out of a bush: Mossy, with its sleepy eyes and tiny legs. As Mossy trotted along, new companions appeared in quick succession: Pibble, chirping and hopping after the player; Tufftail, the raccoon, twirling its oversized tail; Puddle, the axolotl, wiggling in a puddle and blinking up at the camera. The trailer cut to each animal companion: Mallow gliding through the air, Bramble rolling in a patch of autumn leaves, Thimble shyly peeking from behind a flower.

  Ariel’s chest swelled with pride as the trailer showed companions helping gather items, nuzzling the player, even being dressed in tiny hats and scarves. There was a fast montage of in-game moments: villagers reacting to the companions, unique animations as they wandered through each biome, a diary menu filling with portraits and lore.

  And then, near the end, the camera lingered on a masked red panda, Shika, with eyes that were two different colors: one hazel, one violet. The music muted to only diegetic sounds as Shika curled up next to the player beside a crackling campfire. The trailer faded to the game’s logo, then to black.

  Ariel sat, breathless and teary-eyed, hand pressed to her mouth. It was perfect...exactly as she had dreamed, every detail a tribute to Holly, right down to the hidden meaning of Shika’s eyes. For a long, glowing moment, she imagined Holly’s face: wide-eyed, stunned, delighted. She could almost hear Holly’s squeal, feel her arms around her, the moment when realization dawned that this whole system - these adorable, living companions - were the product of that first silly conversation a couple of months ago.

  Ariel could see herself pulling the ring box from her bag, dropping to one knee in front of the whole café, the trailer still playing in the background as Holly’s hands flew to her mouth, stunned. She pictured the “yes”, the hug, the crowd’s cheers, her friends’ faces, the world shrinking to just the two of them.

  A Slack ping snapped Ariel back to the present, the daydream fading but the joy lingering like a warm afterglow. She wiped her eyes, grinning, and fired off a quick reply to Marketing (It’s perfect. Thank you) before diving back into her afternoon work, her mind buzzing with love and anticipation for the secret she was about to share.

  The days passed in a haze of anticipation for Ariel, every moment colored by the secret she carried. She kept her hands busy with meetings, code reviews, dinner prep, late-night games with Holly... But her mind always circled back to the plan taking shape. Every spare moment, she mentally replayed the trailer in her head, imagining how it would look on the café’s TV as the Willowbound YouTube stream went live, how the crowd might react, and, most of all, the look on Holly’s face when she realized what Ariel had built for her.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Nerves flickered beneath the surface, especially whenever Holly shot her those curious, searching glances. She could sense something was different, even if she didn’t know what. She had a knack for reading people like Ariel had never seen. Still, Ariel tried to mask her excitement and anxiety behind easy conversation, to-do lists, and long, lingering hugs. She tried not to let it show when her focus slipped, or when she drifted off into daydreams right in the middle of work. She’d never been so sure of anything in her life, or so terrified of making a misstep.

  Ariel rehearsed every step: confirming the YouTube stream time with Marketing, checking in with Jordan about the café’s TV setup, making sure the ring was safe and perfectly hidden. She imagined the moment in every detail: how her hands might tremble, how she might cry, and how Holly would look at her with surprise, maybe some awe, and hopefully overwhelming love.

  Through it all, Holly remained content, if a little amused by Ariel’s distracted cheerfulness. She chalked it up to “end of year magic” and the comfortable routine they shared. Ariel felt the secret glowing inside her, a mix of fear, hope, and almost unbearable joy. She cherished every ordinary moment: quiet dinners, holiday lights in the city, even just sitting beside Holly on the couch, knowing these were the last days before everything changed.

  As the following week drew to a close and Friday night finally arrived, Ariel’s nerves and happiness had become a steady hum beneath her skin. Sitting across from Holly at Chunn’s BBQ & Grill, she realized she was ready. Ready to share her secret. To change their story. And to ask the question she’d been carrying for so long.

  The smell of smoky brisket and sweet sauce clung to the air, and the noise of Friday night laughter made a cozy hum around their booth. Ariel sat opposite Holly, nursing a glass of sweet tea, half a plate of loaded potato skins cooling in front of her. Holly was a burst of color and energy, talking so fast that Ariel felt almost dizzy just listening, Holly’s hands painting pictures in the air with every word.

  “- so Lila was telling me about how Marissa surprised her yesterday. Apparently, she just showed up at the shop with a whole box of those fancy macarons from that bakery she loves, just to ‘make Lila’s afternoon sweeter.’ And then she stayed the whole shift just to flirt shamelessly with Lila between customers. I swear, those two are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, Red.”

  Ariel smiled, managing a soft laugh, but her mind was elsewhere. She poked at her food, swirling a bit of sauce, heart pounding as she rehearsed tomorrow’s plan for the thousandth time. The trailer reveal. The crowd. The moment. The ring box hidden away at home, waiting.

  Holly rambled on about a text conversation she’d had with Maddy earlier that afternoon, brainstorming cosplay ideas for the gaming convention next month. They’d tossed around everything from matching NPC costumes to elaborate armor builds, complete with prop weapons and fake quests to hand out to event goers. Holly described each idea with gleeful exaggeration, and Ariel nodded along, chiming in here and there, but her voice was quieter than usual, her gaze slipping now and then toward the window or the empty stage at the front of the restaurant.

  Holly paused mid-story, eyes narrowing with concern. “Okay. Spill, Red. You’re way off in space tonight. I’ve been rambling and you haven’t even made fun of my accent once. And I know I've said 'fixin tuh' at least seven times. What’s up?”

  Ariel blinked, caught. Her mind scrambled for a cover. Any reason for her distraction that wouldn’t give her secret away. She forced a sheepish smile, rubbing her forehead. “Sorry, babe. I just...work’s been a little nuts, and I’ve got this big meeting with the publisher first thing Monday. It’s nothing bad, just nerves, you know how I get.”

  Holly eyed her for a long moment, then softened, reaching across the table to squeeze Ariel’s hand. “Well, don’t worry about it tonight, okay? You’re with me, and I promise to keep you so entertained you forget all about work.”

  Ariel squeezed back, letting herself be pulled into the present, into Holly’s world of laughter and easy joy. The nerves didn’t disappear, but they faded, replaced by warmth. She knew Holly didn't quite believe her, but Holly played along anyway. Ariel joined the conversation fully, asking about Holly’s favorite customer stories of the week, teasing her about the way she still couldn’t remember the order for a dirty chai, laughing at Holly’s wild theory that Lila and Marissa were going to move in together by spring.

  By the time the plates were empty and the check arrived, Ariel’s smile was real, her laughter ringing out over the din of the restaurant. They bundled up against the Seattle night, walking the few blocks home with arms twined together, Holly still chattering about movie night plans for the weekend. Ariel squeezed Holly’s hand, her mind full of love, hope, and the promise of tomorrow.