"I had no idea you were so serious about bowling."

Máximo's grip was so tight on the Wii remote, Matthew was worried he was going to crush it. Matthew sank further into the couch cushions.

"It's just a game," Alfred continued, feet on the coffee table.

Alfred was up by twenty points. Matthew took off his glasses and messaged his eyes.

Máximo let his arm swing back and forward. The bowling ball on screen sailed down the lane, hitting a perfect strike. And then another one on Máximo's next turn. Alfred had sat forward, feet on the ground, a look of intense concentration on his face as he studied the screen.

"Still just a game?" Máximo asked, collapsing back onto the couch next to Matthew.

"Well, it didn't change into anything else," Alfred snapped as he stood.

Gutterball.

"Fuck! Fuck this fucking game!" Alfred threw the Wii remote, and it skittered across the hardwood.

"Don't throw my game!" Máximo stood, glaring at Alfred.

"It cheats!"

"No, you're just bad at bowling!"

Alfred stepped closer, snarling. "It's Wii bowling."

"Does that matter?"

Máximo loomed. Matthew knew that Alfred didn't like the fact Máximo was a few inches taller, and even now, Matthew saw Alfred leaning forward slightly on his toes.

Matthew sighed. "Oh my God. Are we really having an argument over this?"

Máximo turned slowly to Matthew. He visibly relaxed, forced a smile on his face. "It's just a game."

"A shit game."

Máximo whipped back around so fast, it looked like his head was going to fly off. Alfred sneered, swaggered back to his suitcase.

"Luckily, I brought some good games."

Alfred flashed the cover, and Máximo took a step back.

"I'm not playing that."

Matthew closed his eyes. "The more difficult you are, the more he's going to insist you play."

Alfred pointed at Matthew. "See? He knows what's good."

"I'm not playing Mario and Sonic: Olympic Games."

"It's just a game, Maxie." Alfred waved the disc. "I'll even let you be Knuckles."

There was a tense few minutes where Alfred and Máximo stared each other down and Matthew looked at the ceiling. Game night had seemed like such a good idea. Alfred liked games. Máximo liked games. Mistakes had been made on Matthew's part.

The game started, and for a moment, there seemed to be peace. Máximo was sitting quietly next to Matthew, and Alfred seemed content on the loveseat. Maybe they could get along. Maybe Mario and Sonic would be the—

"Mario?" Máximo asked.

"You have an issue with Mario, Knuckles?"

Matthew's heart sank.

"It's just that he seems a little obvious. Mario."

Alfred looked murderous. "Mario is an American classic."

"He's Japanese."

"He's Italian!"

Matthew groaned. "Please."

Máximo looked over. "Are you sure you don't want to play?"

"Yes."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "Game night isn't fun unless we're all playing. Come on, Matt, just be Peach or someone. Just for the skiing session, come on." He waved the remaining Wii remote in the air. "Come on."

Matthew felt a smile. "Fine."

Alfred waited until Matthew chose his character. "Really? The cat?"

"If you criticize my choices, I'm not going to play."

Máximo bumped shoulders with Matthew. "She's a great character. Unique."

The game started, and Matthew proceeded to have the shit kicked out of him on the skiing game. After encouragement, Matthew decided to try again with the trampoline level; he was also beaten.

"Holy shit, Matt, you suck."

Máximo scowled. "Shut up."

"Wasn't talkin' to you, Knuckles." Alfred craned his neck to see Matthew and Máximo on the couch behind him. "Matthew used to be a major Sonic nerd. He had like, a thousand OCs."

"Original characters," Matthew muttered in explanation. "At least I didn't ship Shadow and Amy."

"Shadow?" Máximo asked.

Alfred waved his free hand. "The black one."

"You also shipped Sonic and Tails." Matthew grinned.

On screen, Mario missed a combo.

"They're good together," Alfred said quickly.

Máximo stood. "You can't do that." His thumbs flew across the Wii remote. "You definitely just used a cheat code."

"Oops."

Matthew, by this point, wasn't even on the screen.

…

"Matthew, come on."

Matthew continued down the stairs, blanket and pillow in hand.

"I didn't mean to—"

"You sank to his level. You argued about video games. You broke the TV." Matthew stopped in the living room and pointed at the television, at the Wii remote sticking out of the center of the screen. "And you argued about what race human Sonic characters would be."

"You can't impose race on hedgehogs, Matthew."

"Yes, yes, you can if it means we don't have to buy a new TV." Matthew sat on the couch.

Máximo stood in front of him, hands up. "In my defense, he started it."

"Oh my God."