was pretty sure he didn’t want to.
[Group][Aconite]: Are you sure?
[Group][Aconite]: Because I can see you might have been swept up in the moment
[Group][Aconite]: What with the romantic swamp water
[Group][Aconite]: And Charnos, of course
He had been caught up in the moment. But it wasn’t really about the game or—for that matter—Charnos. It was about being with Kit.
Which, he was beginning to realise, he still really liked.
That hadn’t changed at all.
[Group][Efthalia]: yeah no i’m sure
[Group][Efthalia]: if you want to
[Group][Efthalia]: if it wouldn’t be weird
[Group][Aconite]: It might be weird
[Group][Efthalia]: more weird than our swamp date
[Group][Aconite]: So this was a date then?
[Group][Efthalia]: i guess so
[Group][Aconite]: :)
[Group][Aconite]: I really want to
[Group][Aconite]: But I’m a bit
[Group][Aconite]: You’re the first guy I’ve been really into
[Group][Aconite]: And you thought I was a girl
[Group][Aconite]: And we have a really nice time together
[Group][Aconite]: But I’d rather stick to that
[Group][Aconite]: Than mess everything up trying to change it
Drew could see where Kit was coming from. His worst-case scenario was that they’d meet up and he’d realise he just wasn’t into boys, and that would be difficult but basically back to normal. For Kit it would be this massive, unnecessary head-fuck.
[Group][Efthalia]: i get that
[Group][Efthalia]: and i can’t predict how it’s going to go
[Group][Efthalia]: and if you want to just do this
[Group][Efthalia]: then we can
[Group][Efthalia]: but i think we might be missing out
[Group][Efthalia]: i want to see where this goes
There was a slightly fraught silence. Drew’s hands were shaking a little against the keyboard. Wow, that was the most serious “we should go out” speech he’d ever given anyone, and he was pretty sure he would never have been able to say it aloud. Not without feeling like an idiot. To be honest, he felt a bit of an idiot now, but it was cushioned by two medusas standing in a puddle around an elemental they’d forgotten to loot.
Still nothing from Kit.
Drew risked putting his fingers back on the keys.
[Group][Efthalia]: and look
[Group][Efthalia]: not being funny or anything
[Group][Efthalia]: but the way i see
[Group][Efthalia]: i’ve never had a boyfriend
[Group][Efthalia]: and actually you’ve never had a boyfriend
[Group][Efthalia]: so we’re both pretty new to this
[Group][Efthalia]: and what have we got to lose
Silence. Silence. Silence.
[Group][Aconite]: Okay
Drew stared blankly at the screen. He wasn’t sure whether to celebrate or hide under the desk.
[Group][Efthalia]: seriously?
[Group][Aconite]: Why? Were you hoping I’d say no?
[Group][Efthalia]: No!
[Group][Efthalia]: i just wasn’t sure you were going to say yes
[Group][Aconite]: After a speech like that, how could a guy resist?
[Group][Efthalia]: *blush*
[Group][Aconite]: Hee, that’s my line.
[Group][Efthalia]: lol
It was as close as it was going to get to how it used to be. And Drew was slightly shocked at how happy it made him.
[Group][Efthalia]: so . . . like
[Group][Efthalia]: basic internet safety stuff
[Group][Efthalia]: we should meet somewhere neutral and public and tell people where you’re going
[Group][Efthalia]: somewhere in town?
[Group][Aconite]: It’s not exactly classy but how about Starbucks?
[Group][Efthalia]: the one in the shopping centre?
[Group][Aconite]: Yes
[Group][Efthalia]: tomorrow?
[Group][Efthalia]: before the raid
[Group][Efthalia]: 4ish
[Group][Aconite]: Yes
[Group][Aconite]: God, I’m terrified.
[Group][Efthalia]: me too
[Group][Aconite]: But I’m looking forward to it :)
[Group][Efthalia]: me too :)
[Group][Efthalia]: shit how will I know who you are
[Group][Aconite]: I’ll be dressed as a penguin and reading The Financial Times
[Group][Efthalia]: then I’ll be wearing a red carnation and looking through a newspaper with two holes cut in it
[Group][Aconite]: Hee
[Group][Aconite]: Actually, I’m kind of ordinary looking, sort of blondish and I’ll be wearing a blue shirt
[Group][Aconite]: Sorry that probably doesn’t help
[Group][Aconite]: I’ll be reading a secondhand copy of A Canticle for Leibowitz
[Group][Efthalia]: So if I see someone with a brand new copy I’ve got the wrong dude
[Group][Aconite]: Yeah, he works for the KGB
[Group][Efthalia]: lol
[Group][Aconite]: Are you coming to the raid tonight
[Group][Efthalia]: didn’t sign up
[Group][Efthalia]: got a course deadline
[Group][Efthalia]: wasn’t sure I’d be free
[Group][Aconite]: See you on Wednesday then :)
And just like that, Drew had a date.
When Wednesday finally came, he told Tinuviel and Sanee just in case Solace turned out to be some kind of serial killer who called himself Kit because he liked to chop people up and assemble new boyfriends out of the pieces.
“You do realise,” Sanee said ominously, “that this guy’s a geek, which means he’s probably going to look like me or, well, you.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Well, would you date you?”
“No. But I am me. That would be weird.”
Sanee frowned. “I just can’t get my head round it. Obviously girls like you. Well, two girls like you, or three if you count that chick at that club that time. I’m not saying you’re a minger or anything . . .”
Drew had been feeling relatively good until then. Attractiveness-wise, he’d always thought of