Crossing Paths

Chapter 1 - Announcement

Today was a Thursday, which was a certain trio's weekly scheduled day to livestream, either a random multiplayer game either of the trio managed to dig out of their collection of games or one of their usuals, later that afternoon.

Ross slipped into the office, relieved to have finally escaped the chill outside. Facing the long and slightly narrow hallway of YogTowers while closing the main door behind him, his eyes skimmed through his surroundings. Judging from the switched off red lights above each door, it didn't seem like many of his co-workers were in the office at this hour. But, then again, Ross was exceptionally early that day.

He quietly passed through some closed, and others open, doors until he reached what used to be the main common room, now turned into Hat Films' office space. Ross maneuvered through the many knick-knacks, papers, and boxes littered all over the floor towards his side of the room, indicated by the blue divider. It was about time they started cleaning up the mess, which he'll bring up later to his friends once they turn up.

Heaving a content sigh, he slipped off his large coat and hung it on the backrest of his swivel chair. He then plonked himself onto the said chair and patiently waited for his computer to boot up, his mind quickly wandering to whatever he had witnessed a few nights ago.

The sighting of the wolf was very peculiar, as there weren't meant to be wolves anywhere in Bristol. Ross kept juggling between debates within himself, wondering what the creature really was -- was it really a wolf or a large dog that was lost? He hadn't caught sight of the mammal ever again that night, but thoughts of it kept him up later than usual. Luckily, he was used to differing amounts of sleep, so his energy levels weren't affected too much. Still, it bothered him, though he never brought it up to anyone.

"Well, you're early today," Lewis commented while leaning on the door frame, stopping Ross' train of thought into a screeching halt. Ross looked up at the familiar voice, laughing guiltily then licking his lips, before replying, "I was woken up too early by Archie. Next thing I know, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to turn up early." This was a lie, but Lewis didn't need to know that.

"Fair enough," his boss took the bait then added, "By the way, we're confirmed for MCM this year. Let Trott and Smiffy know."

"Sure thing, boss," Ross smirked playfully at his mention of Lewis' nickname and the latter bellowed, walking off to do whatever else he needed to do for the day.

Returning his attention back to his desktop computer, Ross' was finally met with the programs and windows on the screen just as he left them the previous night. With determination, he decided to continue and try to finish his editing of the bulk videos, recorded with Sips, before the rest of Hat Films turn up and distract him with whatever silly antic they usually came up with. To the average person, whatever stupid thing they probably did was weird, but it was absolutely normal in YogTowers.

It was about a good hour and a half of peaceful editing before the shortest of the trio, Chris Trott, lumbered into the room, with a ridiculous oversized brown coat draped over him that seemed to make him appear wider at parts he didn't want to. Ross raised an eyebrow at Trott's grumpy look, but then his lips inched into a smile, to which the shorter man grunted at while dragging his feet across the room to his divider.

"Mornin'," the taller greeted, a little too cheery for Trott's ears so early in the morning.

"You're too loud," Trott complained while sliding off his coat and hanging it on his chair, "I'm gonna get a coffee. Want anything from the kitchen?"

"Nah, mate," Ross waved a hand in dismissal then continued back to his editing. It was only a couple more minutes until he would be finally done with this one.