Ialdir were less focused than usual.
Once the raid broke up, Drew bamfed back to the City of Stars. He was just checking his supplies for Wednesday when a message popped up.
Morag has invited you to join a group: y/n
Morag is now group leader.
[Group][Orcarella]: hi?
[Group][Ialdir]: Hey :)
[Group][Morag]: Sorry to grab you
[Group][Morag]: We were just wondering if you knew what was up with Kit
Oh crap. Drew had no idea how to handle this or even how he felt about it. On the one hand, he sort of thought what was going on between him and Kit wasn’t these people’s business. On the other, he couldn’t quite shake the sense that he’d been caught out doing something he shouldn’t, as if he’d ninjaed all the shards out the guild bank. There was also a nonzero chance he was about to get /gkicked for pissing off the main healer.
[Group][Morag]: Drew?
[Group][Orcarella]: sorry but this is pretty weird
[Group][Ialdir]: Yeah, I can see that
[Group][Ialdir]: And we know it’s none of our business
[Group][Ialdir]: We’re just worried about him
[Group][Morag]: He hasn’t been online since last night
[Group][Morag]: He said he was fine when I texted but he’s basically never missed a raid
[Group][Orcarella]: :(
[Group][Orcarella]: we kind of had a fight
[Group][Orcarella]: he said he needed some space
[Group][Morag]: Whoa. Must’ve been some fight
[Group][Orcarella]: i don’t know. I’m still confused
[Group][Ialdir]: I’m guessing you don’t want relationship advice from the old dude
[Group][Ialdir]: But Kit’s pretty into you and he’s scared of messing it up so he’s probably a bit wary
[Group][Ialdir]: Might be reacting to things quite strongly
[Group][Ialdir]: I think you guys will be okay
[Group][Morag]: Also, he just tends to take things to heart
[Group][Ialdir]: That’s a bit unfair, Tiff
[Group][Ialdir]: We’re not all as tactless as you and Bjorn
[Group][Morag]: Omg, you’re comparing me to *Bjorn*
[Group][Orcarella]: okay
[Group][Orcarella]: thanks guys
[Group][Morag]: Just give it a couple of days and say sorry
[Group][Morag]: Even if you’re not sure what you’re saying sorry for
[Group][Ialdir]: Is this why I’m married and you’re single?
[Group][Orcarella]: i’ll try
[Group][Orcarella]: nn guys
Drew logged out of HoL, wondering how much time counted as “space.” Morag had told him to give it a couple of days. Did that mean from now? Or could he could backdate it to Sunday?
Then he saw the alert light was flashing on his phone and his heart jumped like an enthusiastic kobold. He snatched it up and was in quick sucession disappointed, then guilty at being disappointed, then annoyed at himself both for being disappointed and guilty at it. The message was from Sanee and read: Yo – MK Tournament Round II. Our place after labs. Who’s up in the air now, beyotch? A second text had come in shortly afterwards: You will be after I juggle combo you.
Actually that did sound pretty fun. And like it would take his mind off Operation Give Kit His Space.
He sent back, Dude, last time we played you couldn’t even find the block button.
The next morning, he woke up to Blocking is for pussies. And spent the rest of the day wrestling with water and Not Texting Kit.
“No elf?” was the the first inevitable question when Drew arrived at Sanee and Steff’s.
Drew thought about telling them the whole story, but he didn’t want another lecture about game addiction and the evils of leaving parties. “Not tonight.”
Sanee scowled. “You realise this means I’m going to have to redo the roster.”
“What roster? I thought we were just playing Mortal Kombat.”
“You think,” demanded Sanee, with an outrage that bordered on the genuine, “that I’d invite you to a tournament and not provide a tournament?”
Steff staggered in with a pinboard. It was covered in index cards, sorted into tiered match-ups. “It’ll be fine, Squidge. We can remove Kit’s name.”
Sanee did not look entirely mollified. “It’s the principle, and besides, it throws off the whole structure.”
“No,” said Drew, “what’ll throw off the whole structure is me pwning all of your asses.”
And, thankfully, that distracted Sanee long enough for them to actually start playing the game.
Drew had spent quite a large part of the morning rote-memorising combos, special moves, and fatalities, which meant he put in a creditable performance. He came out third in the rankings, having bested both Sanee and Steff, narrowly losing to Andy, and having his arse comphrensively handed to him by Tinuviel. Who turned out to be terrifyingly good at fighting games.
After her first couple of matches, they realised that the only way anyone else would stand a chance would be if they gave her some kind of penalty, which started out as banning her from playing Mileena, escalated quickly to