Piecing Together the Shards: A Shards of War side series

Evolving Bonds

This is the last part of Terry and Jackie's side story, Enjoy

As Terry and Jackie continued exploring their newfound connection, they decided to venture beyond the tactical arena and into the realm of traditional dates. Their initial outings were marked by a delightful awkwardness, a charming dance of uncertainty and shared laughter.

One evening, they found themselves at a cozy cafe, sipping on drinks and exchanging stories. The air was charged with a mixture of excitement and nervous energy as they navigated the uncharted waters of romance.

Terry, fidgeting with his straw, attempted to break the silence. "So, um, Jackie, do you, uh, like playing other games besides Tactical Takedown?"

Jackie smiled, appreciating Terry's effort to steer the conversation away from the intense world of airsoft. "Yeah, I do. I enjoy strategy games and puzzle-solving. What about you?"

Terry's eyes lit up. "Oh, I love puzzle games! Maybe we can try solving one together sometime."

As they continued chatting, Terry couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and comfort in Jackie's presence. Similarly, Jackie found solace in Terry's genuine and down-to-earth nature.

After a series of successful dates, the two began to feel more secure in their budding relationship. It was during a quiet stroll in a nearby park that Terry mustered the courage to broach the topic of sharing their connection with their friends.

"Hey, Jackie," Terry began, nervously kicking a pebble along the path. "I was thinking... maybe we should let the others know about us. I mean, if you're comfortable with that."

Jackie, looking thoughtful, nodded. "Yeah, I think it's about time. I enjoy being with you, and I don't want to hide that from our friends."

Encouraged by Jackie's agreement, Terry smiled. "Great. Let's do it."

The following day, as the group gathered for another round of Tactical Takedown, Terry and Jackie decided to make their announcement. With a deep breath, Terry spoke up.

"Hey, everyone, Jackie and I have something to share. We're together."

There was a moment of surprised silence before Mika broke into a wide grin. "Well, it's about time, you two! I was wondering when you'd make it official."

Katsu added with a smirk, "Guess the tactical synergy extended beyond the battlefield, huh?"

Amidst the playful teasing and laughter, Terry and Jackie exchanged relieved glances. The weight of keeping their relationship a secret lifted, and they felt the support of their friends enveloping them.

As the Tactical Takedown matches continued, the dynamics within the group shifted, and the once-unspoken tension transformed into a shared understanding. Terry and Jackie's journey had evolved from silent glances on the battlefield to openly sharing their affection, making their connection known to everyone around them.

Then a while later, the day came, it marked a year to the day that Matsu left Cascadia, Terry was saddened that his childhood best friend hadn't returned yet, but Jackie, Mika and Katsu were always there to cheer him up.

Then one day a few months after the one year anniversary of Matsu leaving, Terry saw that a new idol duo has appeared on the scene, and when he looked, he was shocked to see it was Calie and Marie. Then he noticed their Idol Duo name, "Out of the Blue", and he thought to himself, Yup, Calie definitely named the group.

Then he saw that their debut concert is coming up and he told the team about it and they all decided to attend. With the date set and the tickets paid for, they prepared to attend the concert in a few days.