Sister Time

Mia laughed, already dragging her friend toward the couch. "No promises!"

With a shake of his head, Lucas returned to the kitchen, cleaning up the remnants of lunch.

As he scrubbed the pot, his mind wandered back to the game. The thought of all the progress he'd made in Ethereal Nexus Online filled him with a renewed sense of purpose.

After drying his hands, Lucas headed to his room, shutting the door softly behind him. His computer sat on the desk, humming faintly as it waited for him.

Sitting down, he powered it on and navigated to the official Ethereal Nexus Online website. The familiar logo greeted him, a swirling nexus of blue and silver.

He logged into his account and pulled up the currency exchange system.

He wanted to use the game's unique feature to convert the Nexus coins he had gotten from the game to real world currency at a fluctuating exchange rate.

Today, the rate was the same as the last time he had converted — 2 dollars per Nexus coin, but then it was bound to increase, after all, the game was just in it's early stages now.

Lucas's balance showed 200 Nexus coins. He hesitated for a moment, his cursor hovering over the exchange button.

This wasn't just a game anymore; it was a lifeline.

With a deep breath, he clicked the button. A confirmation message popped up, and a moment later, his account balance updated.

400 dollars. It wasn't a fortune, but it was enough.

He quickly opened another tab and logged into his banking app. The overdue light bill loomed in his transactions list, a reminder of the financial tightrope he'd been walking.

Without hesitation, he selected the payment option and transferred the money.

The screen refreshed, and the bill disappeared from the list. A weight lifted from Lucas's shoulders, replaced by a sense of relief so profound it almost brought tears to his eyes.

The lights would stay on. For now, at least, one problem was solved.

Leaning back in his chair, Lucas let out a long breath. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, his mind racing.

The game was proving to be more than just an escape — it was becoming a way to fight back against the struggles of his reality. He needed to put much more effort into the game.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. "Lucas?" Mia's voice called softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, sitting up. "Just finishing something up."

"Okay," she said, her voice retreating down the hall. "We're starting homework now."

Lucas glanced at the clock. It was still early afternoon, but he already felt like the day had been a marathon.

He closed out of the banking app and shut his computer down, leaning back in his chair again.

#####

The soft murmur of conversation drifted through the apartment as Mia and her friend wrapped up their homework session.

Lucas, sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water in hand, glanced over at them from time to time, watching as they whispered, erased answers, and occasionally laughed over a silly mistake.

It was a scene that felt warm — normal. A stark contrast to the tension that had filled the apartment sometime ago when money had been even tighter.

A knock at the door broke through the quiet. Mia immediately perked up.

"That must be her parents," she said, jumping up to answer. She swung the door open, revealing a man and a woman, both dressed in office wear, their expressions softening as they spotted their daughter.

"Hey, sweetie," the woman said, stepping inside and giving her daughter a gentle hug. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah!" the girl beamed. "Mia's brother made lunch, and it was really good."

Lucas, still seated at the kitchen table, gave a small nod of acknowledgment when the parents looked his way. The man — her father, presumably — offered a polite smile. "Thanks for having her over."

"No problem," Lucas replied. "She's welcome anytime."

Mia and her friend exchanged a few last words before the girl grabbed her schoolbag and followed her parents out.

As the door closed behind them, Mia turned to Lucas with a content sigh. "Well, that was fun."

Lucas smirked. "Glad to hear it. You guys were whispering so much I thought you were planning a heist."

Mia rolled her eyes. "It's called studying. You wouldn't understand."

Lucas chuckled, standing up and stretching his arms over his head. "Yeah, yeah. Come on, let's watch something before bed."

Mia's face lit up. "Really? You're not going to just lock yourself in your room and game?"

"I mean, I will… later." He ruffled her hair as he passed by. "But for now, let's pick something."

She quickly grabbed the remote and flopped onto the couch while Lucas grabbed a blanket from the nearby chair.

After flipping through the streaming options, they settled on a sci-fi adventure movie — one they had both seen a dozen times before, but still enjoyed.

As the movie played, the apartment felt peaceful. Mia curled up next to him, half-covered by the blanket, munching on a few crackers she had snuck from the kitchen.

Lucas allowed himself to relax. The constant weight of responsibility, of worrying about bills, food, and the game, faded for the moment.

It was just him and his little sister, watching spaceships and aliens and over-the-top action scenes.

Halfway through the movie, he glanced down and saw that Mia's eyes were drooping.

She was fighting to stay awake, but the warmth of the blanket and the comfort of the moment were winning against her determination.

"You falling asleep on me?" Lucas teased.

"No," Mia mumbled, though her voice lacked conviction.

Lucas smirked, letting her rest for a little longer. By the time the credits rolled, she was fully asleep, her head resting against his arm.

With a careful movement, he shifted out from under her, gently lifting her up.

She stirred as he carried her to her room. "Lucas…?"

"Shh," he whispered, pushing open the door with his foot. "It's bedtime."

Mia barely managed a sleepy nod as he tucked her under the blankets. The soft glow of her nightlight cast shadows along the walls, making the room feel smaller, cozier.

Lucas brushed a few strands of hair from her face before leaning down and pressing a small kiss to her forehead.

"Good night, squirt."