I sat cross-legged on the couch, controller in hand, my thumbs flying across the buttons as I battled my girlfriend, Mia, in our favorite game. She was right next to me, her shoulder brushing mine, her laughter bubbling up every time she landed a combo. “Ha! Take that!” she crowed, her character flipping mine across the screen. I grinned, leaning into her a little.

We’d been playing for hours, just us, lost in this silly competition that always ended with us closer than before.

But ...