Quoted By:
<span class="mu-b">“BOOM! Get rekt!”</span>
Despite your prior experience with the game, and you having practiced since your last bout, you still had a hard time facing Joyce. Apparently, she and the other younger Morlocks have been investing an impressive amount of hours into the game. Robbie was a frequent opponent of hers, which is where she got her foul banter from.
<span class="mu-b">“I guess it’s not your type of game, Ben!”</span>
Joyce exclaimed, her personality taking on a far more competitive attitude than you would’ve expected.
You glared at the victory screen portraying Joy’s character, rather than glare at the one responsible for the taunting.
<span class="mu-r">“I think Ada messed up when she made my controller.”</span>
You grumbled.
Glass smirked at you.
<span class="mu-g">“Uh-huh. And next you’ll be blaming the lag.”</span>
You tossed your controller aside and slumped back into the couch, waiting for Glass and Joyce to que up another game.
<span class="mu-r">“You’ve been getting your ass kicked too, you know.”</span>
You argued. Glass just shrugged.
<span class="mu-g">“I told you before that I’m not good at this game. I don’t have any confidence for her to crush, since I don’t have any stake in this.”</span>
Joyce pointed a finger at him and laughed mockingly.
<span class="mu-b">“Glass just mashes buttons.”</span>
Despite her clear insult, Glass didn’t seem the least bit disturbed by her comment.
<span class="mu-g">“Iara said that it makes me unpredictable.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Well mash harder. We’ve got to knock Joy off of her high horse.”</span>
It was only then that you noticed a familiar presence creeping ever closer, still hovering in the air. Iara was right above the couch, glancing curiously at the screen. Her legs were crossed and her hands were on her knees as she leaned forward to see better.
You raised the controller and offered it to her.
<span class="mu-r">“Wanna play next?”</span>
When she looked at you, you didn’t detect a trace of the nervousness that motivated her to flee. Rather than the boundless curiosity that Joyce portrayed in her fist few months of being alive, you felt like you were witnessing someone slowly waking up from a long rest. There was still a haze clouding her mind, making her movements and memories feel groggy and uncoordinated, but she was progressively becoming more and more accustomed to her surroundings as time went on.
She shook her head.
<span class="mu-b">“I’m okay. I like watching.”</span>
You nodded and put the controller back down. You weren’t sure how comfortable she was up there, but you made room on the couch just in case she got tired of it.
<span class="mu-g">“How’re you feeling? We didn’t mean to crowd you.”</span>
Glass said, struggling to pay attention to her and the game at the same time.
She flashed her teeth at him in a gleaming grin.
<span class="mu-b">“I know. You all seem nice. It was all just…a little overwhelming. Those things you told me…what you said about me, I think I remember a bit of it. It comes back in flashes, sometimes, but…”</span>
(Cont.)