Game On

Chapter Nine: "All Geared Up"

Sean rubbed his cheek over Mark's bare shoulder to snuggle close, taking comfort in Mark's warmth. Mark rubbed his back, then whispered to him in a soothing deep voice. "Let's take this slow." Sean eased back, asking a little hurt. "Isn't this what you wanted?" Nodding, Mark told him gently. "It is. Which is why I don't want to screw this up. I wanna do this right. I don't want to rush it." Rolling his eyes, Sean cupped Mark's face, telling him coolly. "Don't make me beg, Mark." Smirking, Mark brushed the knuckle of his index finger down Sean's cheek as he told him lovingly. "I won't do that to you. It's just been a long day." Sean's eyes narrowed on Mark's eyes. Mark was struggling to stay awake, but his health, stamina, and energy bars were full. Adjusting to rest on his knees, Sean asked Mark with concern. "Mark? Are you ok?" Mark nodded, easing up onto his feet when he told him coolly. "I'm fine." Getting to his feet, Mark backed up slowly to the bed, coaxing Sean to scramble up onto his feet to follow him.

Just as Mark sat down on his bed, Sean grabbed Mark's arms and asked him uneasily. "Mark? Are you ok?" Mark laid back across the bed, his hand trying to calm Sean as he strained out. "It will be ok, Sean. Stay... here." Sean leaned over him, gripping his hand tight as he stammered out. "What? Mark?! What's happening...?" Mark's eyes closed and his grip released in his hands. Panic filled Sean in that moment. Dropping Mark's hand, he cupped Mark's face and pleaded out desperately. "Mark? No... Mark, don't do this. Don't leave me here! Mark!" Tapping Mark's cheeks with his fingers, he waited for him to open his eyes, but he didn't. Slowly taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Sean's hands slide down from Mark's cheeks to rest on his chest. Swallowing, Sean uttered out anxiously aloud. "Please, I don't want to be alone..." Hanging his head, he sighed and glanced around the moonlit room. He could hear muffled music being played downstairs and the loud jumbled speak of players as they arrived.

Getting up to make sure the room was locked, Sean smirked to himself with slight reluctance. Had Mark felt himself slipping like he had on the road? Had he encouraged him to come back here to keep them both safe? If he had, he felt a little better. Moving to the window, Sean unlocked it and pushed it open to observe the town. There were a lot more players flocking into the town now. Most were traveling in large groups made up of scared players but there were a few fighters among them. The town was lit up with streetlamps and all the windows of the buildings were lit up with a welcoming golden glow. The N.P.C.s beckoned and gestured to players to try the food at their market stalls or buy things they may need. As scared as most looked, the cheery N.P.C.s appeared to calm them. It was strange to see the place thriving despite the distress they were all in. He heard the bard below strike up a lively tune that reminded Sean of an Irish folk dance. The muffled sounds of people dancing and laughing helping to calm him down.

Locking the window up, Sean browsed the shelves of the room. The books here were interesting. There were guidebooks on where to go to find things in town. There were books with lore related to the town. A few that spoke of Midgard's Realm and the Humans that lived here. He was curious about it all but started with the guidebooks. He started to head toward his bed but changed his mind. Instead, he made his way over to sit down at the desk and hunched over it to read. He'd managed to read all the basic info about the town and his own extensive racial biography menu, before a chill ran through him. The night was cold and without a heat source, the room was chilly. Unable to stop rubbing his bare legs and exposed arms to keep them warm, he collected the new book he was reading and walked over to his bed. Upon touching the blanket, Sean groaned. It was cold. Looking up at his Energy bar, Sean sighed heavily. His Energy was depleting steadily.

Elves weren't used to cold weather. They lived in a realm that was spring year round with mild rainy seasons. Alfheim had never seen snow, according to his biography menu. Which he realized was the reason to blame for his loincloth attire. Not wanting to wait to get warm, Sean snuck his way over to Mark's bed and crawled into the bed with him. Nestling himself against Mark's warm side, he rested his head on his chest and pulled the blanket over them. Mark was clearly resilient to the cold weather for him to be so much warmer than himself. He told himself that when his Energy recovered from the cold that he'd go back to his bed to warm it up himself. He didn't want Mark to wake up thinking he had been scared to be alone. Yet, as he propped his book up to continue to read, he realized that he was scared. What if Mark never woke back up? What would he do? A loud rumble of thunder boomed across the night sky, making Sean jump and drop his book on the other side of Mark.