A houseplant begins bartering. It releases extra oxygen in exchange for gossip. The roommates comply, spilling stories about dates and deadlines. The plant grows lush, leaves glossy with secrets. When a visitor refuses to share, the air goes thin and heavy. One roommate tries to prune the plant into silence, but it drops a leaf with a warning written in veins: "I know where you hid the spare key." Negotiations resume with better terms and filtered water.
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