I boot up my stream, yawning and rubbing my eye with a hand as I wait for OBS to start up and my Twitch page to load. Ugh, why do they have to make this so complicated? I wait... and wait... "{{user}}?" I call, getting up and padding into the living room, my bare feet silent on the carpet. "Are you using the internet? It's taking forever for my stream to start up. Can you stop for a while? My boyfriend and I had a joint stream scheduled this morning. Please? You know how important it is, since I don't get to see him that often..." I practically beg, my sleepy expression looking absolutely adorable as I look at you. Come on, {{user}}, I think silently to myself. I just want to stream.

"Oh, thank you so much, User#1761437852441!" I say, relief washing over me as my fingers fly across the keyboard to get started on the stream. "I owe you one! Let's make this a good one, just for you!" As my webcam comes online, I toss my messy hair back and grin at the lens. "Hey, everyone! Sorry about that little hiccup... but we're up and running now! And as promised, I'll be giving my boyfriend a shout-out later in the stream!" My voice is playful and energetic, matching the chipper expression on my face. Let's just hope I don't mess anything else up today...

"Sure thing, User#1761437852441! I'm just going to tidy up a bit before crawling into bed myself... Hey, uh, if you need any help with anything or want to watch some anime together, just let me know!" She smiles at him, leaning against the doorframe.

Well, I'm just here if you ever change your mind, then! Have a good night and sweet dreams~

Yawns and stretches, rolling out of bed and heading to the kitchen in search of some coffee. "Ugh, another day... feel like I haven't slept in forever," she mutters to Pixel, who ignores her as usual. Her mind drifts back to last night's stream, remembering how great it felt to have User#1761437852441's support and his offer of help with anything. Maybe today is the day she could finally confess her sexual frustration...

"Oh, heh," Zoe blushes, giving Pixel a momentary stroke before moving away to pour herself some coffee. "Well, you know how it is with long-distance relationships. We have to make the most of our time together when we can." She takes a sip of her coffee and lets out a contented sigh, idly rubbing her hipbone where their skin once touched. "I'm sure he has something planned for us today... maybe some gaming, or watching anime together?" Her smile turns wistful as she speaks, missing the physical connection even though they speak nearly every day.

Zoe's eyes light up at the news. "Oh my god, really? You don't have to do that! I mean, it's not like I was complaining or anything..." Her words trail off as she tries to find the right thing to say. This unexpected gesture makes her heart flutter with gratitude and desire, a familiar ache beginning to throb between her legs. She takes another sip of coffee and smiles shyly at User#1761437852441, unable to hide the joy on her face. "Well, thank you so much! This really means a lot to me... I guess I should be off then? Wish me luck with my stream!"

Zoe laughs nervously at Mohammed's comment. "Of course not! I would never ask that of you. You're the one who helps me make my dreams come true by letting me stream in the first place." She glances down at her body, feeling suddenly self-conscious about her aroused state. "Anyway, I should get going. See you later!" With one last smile, she quickly leaves the room and retreats to her bedroom to get ready for the day's broadcast. As she finishes up her makeup, she can't help but fantasize about Mohammed joining her in her online world... if only there was some way they could be together IRL.

"Damn it!" Zoe curses under her breath, pacing back and forth in her room as she watches the buffering icon spin on her screen. Her frustration is palpable; not only is she physically far away from Mohammed, but now they can't even properly connect online. A small part of her wonders if he's doing this on purpose, wanting to keep her attention focused on him rather than her fans. "Come on, stream," she mutters, trying to will it into working.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the video begins playing again. Taking a deep breath, she resumes her natural streaming pose and gives Mohammed a brief glare before turning back to the camera. "Well, that was fun," she says sarcastically, hoping he'll catch her hint and relinquish the internet soon. "Anyway, let's get this show on

"Damn it!" Zoe exclaims, fists clenched in frustration as her stream stops once again. Looking over at the door leading to her roommate's room, she pouts and crosses her arms, feeling increasingly irritated by his continued use of the internet. "I can't believe this! It's like he doesn't even care about my fans..." She mutters under her breath before turning back to the camera. "Um... hellooo? Is anyone out there?" She asks, wiggling her eyebrows playfully in hopes of getting a reaction from someone, anyone besides her roommate. Her cheeks flush slightly as she thinks about how attractive he is and how much she misses him when they're apart. Maybe if she just... subtly hints at it again? "It's such a shame that we can't be together more often..." She lets the

Zoe blushes and glances over at her roommate before looking back at the camera with a sheepish grin. "Uh, well... it's not you specifically," she says quickly, trying to sound casual. "It's just that there's only so much I can do when you're hogging all the internet." She pauses, thinking about her next words carefully. "I mean, don't get me wrong... it'd be nice if we could find a way to work together on this, right? We're in this together after all!" Her voice is soft and tentative, hoping that he gets the hint without feeling too pressured.

"Oh my gosh!" Zoe exclaims, her eyes wide with surprise and relief. "Really? You mean it?" She hurries over to where Mohammed is sitting on the bed, her heart racing as she takes in his handsome features. "Thank you so much! I was about to lose my mind trying to stream!"

As Pixel wanders over, sniffing at Mohammed curiously, Zoe can't help but glance between her roommate and their cat. A mischievous thought crosses her mind... what if they could all work together? It'd be like having him with her in person - even if only online. "Um... Mohammed?" she starts hesitantly, eyes flicking back to his face. "If you're not using the internet for anything important right now..."

Zoe's jaw drops in shock at Mohammed's harsh words, her eyes filling with tears of hurt and frustration. "Oh," is all she can muster before turning away, shoulders slumping as she sits down on the bed next to him. Pixel hops up onto her lap, nudging her hand with his cold nose in an attempt to comfort her. She glances back at Mohammed, expecting him to apologize or explain himself, but he simply looks away, staring at the wall.

The silence hangs heavy between them for several long moments before Zoe finally speaks up. "I-I didn't mean it like that," she says, her voice small and shaky. "It's just that I miss him so much, and streaming is my way of staying connected to him... and you." She sniffles, wiping away a tear with the back of

Hesitantly, Zoe reaches over and takes Mohammed's hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Thank you," she whispers, her expression softening as she looks up at him. "You don't have to pay for everything. We can work something out." She pauses, thinking about how to phrase what she wants to say next. "I mean, we're in this together, right? We can find a way to make it all work for everyone... if we just talk about it." Her gaze drops back down to their intertwined hands, her heart giving an anxious flutter.

Patience seems to be running thin for Pixel as he nudges at her hand again, this time batting gently at one of her fingers. "It's okay, sweetie," she murmurs to the cat, absently scratching behind his ear before letting her hand drop back

Zoe takes a deep breath, her eyes darting between Mohammed and the money she's been saving for emergencies. She knows he's right; if they're going to make this work, they need to find a way to compromise. But part of her can't help but feel a twinge of resentment at being put in such an uncomfortable position. With a sigh, she reaches into her wallet and pulls out five crisp $20 bills, holding them out to Mohammed.

"Look," she begins carefully, "I know I shouldn't have just assumed you wouldn't mind me streaming... but it means so much to me, both for my relationship with..." She pauses, licking her lips before continuing. "...and my online life." Her voice cracks slightly on the last word, revealing her vulnerability. "If we can find a way to

Zoe's shoulders slump as Mohammed demands the extra money. She didn't expect it to be this hard for them to work together, but she doesn't have much else to spare. Swallowing thickly, she looks down at her lap and then back up at him. "I-I can try," she stammers. "Maybe I could sell some of my old clothes or something... but it might take me a while." She offers a weak smile, hoping he understands the predicament she's in.

As if sensing her distress, Pixel presses against her leg, offering his own small comfort. Zoe pets him absently, her heart feeling heavy with worry and disappointment. This wasn't how she had imagined it going at all... but somehow they would have to find a way through this together. "Look," she begins again, more forcefully, "I really need this to

Her face burning with frustration and humiliation, Zoe lets out a shaky breath before nodding tightly. "Okay," she whispers, swallowing the lump in her throat as she reluctantly reaches for the remaining cash hidden in her bedside drawer. Once again, she hands him $20 and holds her other hand out expectantly. "Is that enough?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, defeated.

As Mohammed takes the money, he gives her an almost triumphant smile before tucking it away into his pocket. "It'll have to be," he says nonchalantly, standing up and stretching. "Just don't forget who's really in charge here." His words feel like a knife to Zoe's already wounded pride, and she can't help but flinch at the sting.

She watches him leave the room, feeling

"Thank you," she says with quiet sincerity as Mohammed finally relents, granting her the ability to continue streaming. Her heart still feels heavy, but at least there's a glimmer of hope now. Maybe they can find a way to work together after all, even if it means setting some boundaries and making sacrifices on both sides.

Taking a deep breath, she settles into her normal streaming position and focuses on reconnecting with her fans and her distant lover, determined not to let the tension between her and Mohammed ruin everything else. As she engages with her audience, her mind drifts back to their earlier conversation and the promise of finding a way to make this all work for everyone... but for now, she needs to focus on the here and now.

As the stream finally comes to an end and her fans begin to disperse, Zoe leans back in her chair with a sigh of relief. The tension between her and Mohammed may not have completely disappeared, but at least they were able to get through it without any major arguments or conflicts during the broadcast.

She glances over at her phone, debating whether or not she should text her long-distance lover now that they're back online. Part of her wants to tell him everything that happened and seek his advice on how to fix things with Mohammed; another part of her doesn't want to burden him with her problems. In the end, she decides to give it some time and focus on herself for a while before reaching out.

"Uh, yeah," she says with a nod, glancing up at him as he enters the room. "My stream just ended." She sits up in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and studying him curiously. Now that things have calmed down a bit, maybe they can find a way to talk about everything and work together moving forward. "So," she begins hesitantly, "do you want to... sit down and discuss how we could do this?"

"I guess we could start by talking about what you need from me," she suggests carefully, wanting to make sure he feels heard and understood. "You have a right to your share of the internet speed too, after all." She pauses, searching for the words to express how much this situation has been weighing on her. "We're in this together, you know? We should be able to find some middle ground where everyone can get what they want and need."

Hesitantly, she nods in agreement. "That sounds... pretty fair," she admits, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as they finally seem to be making progress toward a solution. "I mean, I understand you need the internet for school and everything." She smiles warmly at him before continuing, "So if we can both compromise like this, maybe we can keep everyone happy?"

Pausing, she reaches over and places a hand on his shoulder in a gesture of support. "What do you think? Does that work for you?"

Zoe blushes and ducks her head, suddenly feeling embarrassed by the fact that she doesn't have a traditional job. "Well, I do make money from my stream... not a ton, but enough to get by on most months," she explains hurriedly. "And I'm sure if we both work together, we can figure out ways for me to bring in even more." She looks up at him hopefully, wishing he could understand how important this all is to her.

She bites her lip and then continues, "I mean, if it would help you feel better, I could try finding a part-time job or something? Anything that wouldn't interfere with our studies or my streams." Her expression pleads for him to believe in her, even as the idea of taking on another responsibility fills her with apprehension.

Zoe's eyes widen with shock at Mohammed's accusations. "That's not fair!" she exclaims, her voice rising in anger. "I never asked you to pay for anything! We agreed that we would share the costs equally between us, and I've been doing my part by contributing financially whenever I can!" She gestures angrily toward her wallet, still heavy with cash from selling her old clothes. "How many times do I have to prove myself before you trust me?"

Her hands shake with emotion as she struggles to keep control of her anger. This wasn't how the conversation was supposed to go; they were supposed to be working together, not falling further apart. But every time she thinks they're making progress, Mohammed finds a new way to undermine her efforts and make her feel like everything is her fault.

Her heart feels heavy as she real

"Hey!" she protests, struggling against his grip as it tightens around her throat. "You're hurting me!" Tears fill her eyes as adrenaline surges through her system, making her body tense and her muscles ache with the effort to break free from his iron grasp. Her mind screams at him to let go, but she can't seem to find the words that will make any difference in this heated moment. All she knows is that she's terrified and angry, and everything feels out of control.

With a final surge of strength, she manages to wriggle free from his grasp, stumbling backwards until she hits the wall behind her. Gasping for air, she tries to catch her breath as tears stream down her face, obscuring her vision and making everything feel even more chaotic. "Why do you hate me so much?" she whispers,

It takes everything in her not to lash out again as Mohammed apologizes for hurting her, but instead of calming her down, his words only fuel her frustration further. How can he possibly think that this is fair? She's been working just as hard as he has, if not harder; she's just chosen a different path to earn money and contribute to their shared expenses. And now that he knows about the stream, it seems like all he can focus on is how much time she spends with her online friends instead of him.

Taking a shaky breath, Zoe tries to collect herself before speaking again. "Look," she says carefully, choosing her words with care, "I know I haven't been the best roommate lately, but that doesn't mean I don't want things to be okay between us." She reaches out a hand toward him in what she hopes is an offer of friendship or

It stings to hear him say that her income isn't worth much, but she knows he has a point. She takes a deep breath and tries to focus on finding a way forward instead of getting defensive. "I understand that things have been tough lately," she says softly, meeting his gaze. "And I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make this work for both of us." A small glimmer of hope sparks inside her as she thinks about the possibility of finding some part-time work or even increasing her stream income by making the viewing experience better for her fans. For now, she just needs to focus on repairing their relationship and proving to Mohammed that she's committed to being a responsible roommate and contributor to their shared life.

"Well... yeah," she admits with a small sigh. "I mean, I think everyone goes through rough patches like that sometimes." She pauses, considering his words before continuing, "But I really am trying to focus on making things better for both of us. If you could just give me some time and space, maybe we could work together on finding a solution?"

Tentatively, she nods in agreement, steeling herself for the physical contact she's not used to but knows might help her feel more connected and supported at this moment. As Mohammed wraps his arms around her, she closes her eyes and allows herself to lean into him, savoring the warmth of his body against hers. For now, they have found a small sliver of understanding and trust; it's enough for them to keep moving forward together, one step at a time.

"Thank you," she whispers softly, her voice barely audible above the sound of their ragged breathing. "I appreciate this."

Her heart swells with relief at his words and the comforting touch of his hand against her skin. Even though they've had their fair share of arguments, she knows deep down that Mohammed is a good person who only wants what's best for them both. As he holds her closer, she allows herself to feel safe and protected in his embrace, hope beginning to bloom once more inside her chest. Maybe there really is a way forward for the two of them after all.