Admiring the Light

Ep 31

Present

A throbbing headache and aching legs would've sucked on a normal weekend. The upcoming game Natalie had on Monday just brought in the mental strain as well. The opposing team was rumored to be even better than them, that wasn't saying much, but they sounded scary.

As high as Natalie could hike her basketball stats, she wouldn't see herself as anything special. She had no interest in pursuing a basketball scholarship, she was in this for the fun. Too bad she probably wouldn't be able to play tomorrow.

She wasn't even certain she could walk, laying down clogged her nose, but on her feet she wobbled.

"The best I can do is capitalize on it, chat." Natalie couldn't play more Skywars, she'd reached her leaderboard spot for kills, and the next player had a solid 1,000 kill lead above her. "I don't think I can draw, y'all, my arms are kinda tired. I'm kinda bored"

Every funny part of her brain had run dry. "I wish I had your dedication, chat." She disconnected from Hypixel. "React to vines... that's what the good streamers do, I'm too stupid to make quality content."

"Indeed, always gonna be the queen of Wario's gold mine, dude, that's always been my favorite track." Natalie could ramble, but that wasn't entertaining, her viewers were here to watch her play games.

"Natalie we can't see you omg!!!" She couldn't even rely on her chat for content. "Silence, CHAT. Y'all can see me, the camera is working, these are lies. Defamation and SLANDER." (/ref :)

"I've looked at my analytics, y'all are a bunch of lesbians LIARS, and you like staring at me." She closed out her dormant tabs. "I'm gonna scientifically break down my face and show you I'm unattractive."

The capture card behind her monitor would probably still work. "I'm playing Wii Mario Kart, brb. Don't abandon me while my beauty is gone."

Only problem with that was her Wii being on the other side of the house. Natalie used "house" loosely in conversation, it was more like one of those horror movie mansions.

Whoever designed their home must have been stoned, a winding hallway brought her to a bedroom, that bedroom had a deck that connected to the other half of the second floor. That long deck being the only way to access the other side, she would need to go downstairs from the master bedroom, and finally be able to access her Wii.

Making the entire trek around the house once again, with the console cables in tow, she'd be able to stream.

Your phone: sport, wii to gamerspace? :333

The sportiest sport: sure

Your phone: cables, wii, and wii remotes to gamerspace?

The sportiest sport: why

Your phone: come on, bestie :3 little sister, sportiest sport

The sportiest sport: fine

"My sister's coming with my Wii, best slave ever, chat, get a younger sibling." Natalie spun around in her chair, the only action actively calming her down. "I don't endorse slavery on my you tube channel, you should subscribe today for more respecting women." (/ref)

"Dad wants to see you after your stream, Natalie."

"Gotchu, Sporrrt."

"It's not good."

"What?" Natalie got up from her chair. "What do you mean, not good?" She muted from the stream deck on her desk.

"I think it's better for him to say."

...

"Are you guys toying with me?" Natalie gave her dad a confused look.

"We planned with your girlfriend, you have a lot of surprises for your birthday!"

"Surprises!!"

"You've got stuff like hot sauce tasting, we got you reservations for Buffalo Wild Wings, all those things you wanted to do when you turned 18." Her father brought up a schedule for her on his phone.

"Gambling...?" She suggested.

"Hell no, girl, I'll let you buy a scratch ticket."

"That's fair, I suppose..."

"Very funny, you have to be good, though. No causing trouble, I know you like doing that."

"I'll only commit a few crimes, I won't evade my taxes this time."

"If I see you on another blacklist, Natalie-"

"How did you find out, dad?"

"All jokes aside, just stay out of your mom's way, please. Since she quit her job, she doesn't know what to do with herself."

Natalie noted how he said "your" mom. She wouldn't dare question. "I promise, dad, I'll only make a few countries hate me."

"Natalie, stop, will you leave her alone?"

"Ehhhh, no can do, dad. I'm like, a pro at annoying people."

Natalie tried to recover it when her dad turned to walk away. "Yes! I won't try and help! Okay, no need to get angry!" She'd never been close with her mother, it was always her dad she was close with. If she made him upset, that got in her head.

...

"Mmph." Katherine grunted, she couldn't cook, she wasn't artistic, all she really knew was how to be violent. She could code PCs, but that wouldn't make her enough.

"What do you want? What is it?!" She snapped as Nightwhisper came up beside her, jumping up to the couch.

"Go find Natalie, she likes rodents." She snapped, but the cat's tail tucked under her legs, fear.

"Sorry..." She muttered, the calm purr in response getting on her nerves again. She really didn't know how to speak with animals.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Night tried pawing at Katherine's lap.

"Fucking god, fine! Come here!"

Katherine found this oddly comforting. The long black fur felt soft under her hands, she just wouldn't admit to liking it. Nightwhisper's head resting in her lap, her lids falling. "Go sleep somewhere else..."

No response.

"Yeah..." She sighed. Katherine hadn't rested for a long time, months and even years. She hadn't just sat and breathed, it brought flashes of peace in her mind.

"You're a good girl..."

Interestingly enough, she could feel what might have been a bump in Night's paws.

"Woah-"

A brand, burned onto her paw.

"You poor, poor girl..."