Love Addict's RPG Vol 2 Ch. 78 (Patreon)

Here it finally is! As I've said, this took longer despite my ongoing recovery because I basically scrapped the entire chapter's progress halfway through and rewrote it. That and it's a huge 6.4k word chapter. I'm very happy with the direction it took and think there's a ton of great character beats in this one, being funny yet serious- but not too serious. It does mean I have to somewhat recontextualize a few things in the outline but it should be very easy to do. I'm thinking I'll cut Zoe's planned POV mini chapter since it doesn't make much sense anymore but might replace it with a very funny Rebecca one. We'll still keep Mia's walk though.

---

The living room's mood shifted enough that even Rebecca noticed. Heaviness hung in the air, and she didn't like it one bit. Everyone was so quiet, leaving her with no idea what might be going on in everyone's heads.

Should she say something or follow their lead and keep her mouth shut? Usually, she would've gone with the latter. That was just how she was, but Rebecca shared Oliver's opinion and believed today was amazing. Rebecca didn't want this to end. She wanted to keep playing with her friends- for everyone to keep smiling, rolling dice, and laughing at each other's jokes regardless of whether or not she understood them.

Someone had to do something about all the negativity, so why not her?

"That's great, Zoe!" Rebecca clasped her hands together and forced a smile. "I, uh, I bet that's a big load off your mind, huh?"

Zoe's eyes ping-ponged between the phone in her hands and Rebecca. "Yeah. Um. Something like that, I guess...?"

"Hey! This just means you can start playing 40th Space Reich: Kommandant Khronicles even sooner, right?"

"Uh-huh,"

"Remember that I really wanna be there when you stream it, so, um... make sure you tell me ahead of time whenever you think you can slot it in!"

"Will do," Zoe idly nodded.

"Um..." Rebecca felt a lump in her throat. She tried pushing more words out, but it wasn't working. Nothing was.

Lowering her head, Rebecca sunk into her cushiony seat as her big buck teeth chewed on her lower lip. It wasn't as good as chewing her nails, but she wouldn't allow herself to sink that low around other people.

She sighed, thinking, At least I tried...

Oliver and Mia exchanged worried glances, uncertain of how to proceed. This unexpected curveball was more than a little demoralizing. Just when it looked like they were getting through to Zoe, boom, plot twist. Talk about annoying- like losing a boss battle and realizing your last save was way back at the dungeon's entrance a few hours ago.

Then again, the two realized they might automatically be assuming the worst. Zoe expressed her desire to change and stream less. Did they really lose all their progress, or was this just a speed bump? They wouldn't know unless they talked it out.

Knowing the situation called for delicacy and not passive-aggressive barbs, Mia nudged Oliver's knee, signaling him to take the lead.

"So," he thumped his hands on the table, catching Zoe's attention. "What now?"

Startled, she almost dropped her phone. "Wha- shit, dude! Chill. I'll be done in a second. I'm just... going through all the comments I've been getting, that's all. Once I'm finished up, we can, um... keep playing."

"Are you sure? You seem... really distracted, and I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm a little worried."

"Uh-" Zoe looked up from her endless drip feed of dopamine and false love to see how her friends looked at her. Their concerns tore into her from all sides, guilt kicking her ass and kicking it hard. For a split second, her eyes fluttered back down to her phone. Things were simpler there. Easier.

But it wasn't real.

Zoe took a deep breath, turned off the display, and shoved her phone into her pocket.

"I'm good now," she sighed, meeting Oliver's gaze. "Appreciate the concern and all that, but really. It's cool. Won't lie and say I ain't on pins and fuckin' needles because of this, but I'm not gonna dip out on you guys. I do need to figure out what'll happen next, but that can wait until we've played another round."

The heavy atmosphere choking everyone somewhat lessened upon hearing her intentions, but Mia wasn't totally convinced. Pessimism dragged her down, no matter how much she wanted to believe.

"...You still plan on changing up your streaming schedule, sí? For the better?"

Even though the phone in her pocket was silent, it wouldn't stop calling Zoe's name. A bead of sweat dripped down her brow as her hand twitched, inching closer until she stopped herself through sheer willpower. She was burning through what little she had and fast.

"Y-Yeah. I am. I mean, I want to, for sure, but... gah, no- I'm tripping all over myself here. I still stand by everything I said. It's just-"

"You're terminally online?" Oliver suggested.

"Pretty fuckin' much... it's... hard for me to commit to anything when my brain is being pulled in two different directions, y'know?"

"Boy, I wish I didn't, but yeah. I do."

"So... what? This mean your answer's that you can't give me one?"

"Mia, I..."

"Her answer is that she really does want to stream less, but she can't kick this habit alone. Right?"

Zoe gave him a weary smile, thankful for the support.

[Zoe has gained +1 Affection! +1 Smooth Talker]

"Sounds about right, I... look, Mia. I've got a problem. There. I said it. I'm an attention whore who can't go more than a few fuckin' minutes without some kinda validation, and I'll be the first to admit I'm a total fuckin' bitch for letting it get this bad, but I did, and you know why I did, and-"

"Mommy and Daddy didn't love you enough, sí, sí, I know, perezosa, I-"

Mia froze as Zoe went silent, and Rebecca covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping. That damned boyfriend of hers was a bad influence. Now she was compulsively blurting out stupid shit she'd typically never say. It didn't matter how rightfully annoyed she was- she'd crossed a line.

Recognizing this as the minefield it was, Oliver kept quiet to see which way the wind blew.

"M-Mia..." Rebecca squeaked. "Y-You shouldn't have said that...!!"

"I know- shit. I know. I'm sorry, Zoe. I didn't mean to-"

"I know you didn't," Zoe sighed and nodded, mildly dejected. "It's fine. I deserve it, and it's not like it ain't the truth, so... whatever. All I was trying to say is that even though I'm totally having a fuckin' relapse, I'm still gonna attempt to power through at least one more game."

"And... after that...?"

"I'm probably gonna stream," Zoe looked away, guilt coloring her expression. "I know myself better than anyone, and I won't be able to hold back forever. Not now that it's back on the table."

"How long do you think you'll stream?" Oliver asked.

"Overnight, probably?"

"And you'll stop sometime tomorrow?"

"I... well, Mia's gonna be at her parent's place tomorrow, so-"

"I think you should stop sometime tomorrow," he reiterated.

"To do what, exactly...?" Zoe tried sounding open to the idea, but anyone could hear her wavering conviction.

Oliver didn't care, pushing forward.

"We'll figure something out. I didn't have anything planned for tomorrow, so maybe you and I can hang out alone together?"

"Uh-" Zoe looked away from him, suddenly feeling a little hot.

"Unless you wanted to join us, Rebecca?" Oliver added to be polite.

"H-Huh? Oh, no. I, um, I appreciate the offer, b-but I'm gonna need to de-stress from all the tension, honestly... I'd rather stay home and play games..."

"Fair enough. Just making sure you feel included." Oliver smiled at Rebecca, earning a much larger and more bashful one in return.

"You gonna ask for your girlfriend's permission to hang out alone with her hot friend at some point, mi amor?"

"Wasn't planning on it, no," he quipped with such purposeful nonchalance that it got Mia's cheeks burning. "But I promise we'll send you a pic if anything happens."

"W-What?!" Zoe burned even hotter.

"...Really, really not the time to be making jokes like that, mi amor," is what Mia said, but...

[Mia has gained +3 Affection! +2 Smooth Talker]

"I don't get it..." Rebecca mumbled, tilting her head. "What kind of thing might happen that you'd send a pic of...?"

"Nothing, that's what!" Zoe answered in a fit.

"So you're saying you don't want to hang out with me tomorrow?"

"No, that's- that's not what I said at all, I... gah- we can hang out or whatever, but you'll probably need to force me to stop streaming, and I'm gonna be mad at you if you do. I'll probably get over it, but I might not."

"But I do have your explicit permission to stop your stream?"

"Yeah, whatever, just... don't come in the room and don't open the door to yell at me. Last fuckin' thing my career needs is for my audience to find out there's a dude in my life."

"So there's a dude in your life, mn? News to me."

"Fuck off, you know what I fuckin' meant," Zoe gave up, slouching over the table. She barely managed to dredge her eyes up at Oliver long enough to say, "Figure it out, Olive. Unplug the router or some shit. Just remember-"

"You'll be pissed?"

"Extremely, so don't say I didn't warn you..."

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," he shrugged. "You about ready to kick things off?"

"In a sec. Gonna go piss first and grab another can while I'm at it-"

"Sure. Leave your phone before you go, though." Oliver suggested as she started getting up.

"Huh?"

"I'm saying you should leave your phone out here so you're not tempted to scroll through it while you're pissing rainbows,"

"...Yeah, okay. Makes sense." Zoe dug her phone out and slowly extended it toward the table. She paused before letting go, her eyes lingering on the display that had just finished lighting up with yet another notification. "Then again-"

"Drop the fucking phone, Bilbo. Shit's not a fucking magic ring." Mia sighed.

"Fuck- okay, okay," Zoe grumbled, forcibly dropped the phone, and then scampered back to the restroom to freshen up.

Rebecca was sitting there giggling to herself, prompting Oliver to ask, "What's so funny?"

"O-Oh, um, nothing, I just... I understood Mia's joke just now, I... uh..." she coughed. "A-Anyway, how are we feeling about Zoe's, um... situation?"

"Good question. Mia?"

"Miffed, maybe? Mn... sí, 'miffed' is good. Be more upset at the bitch if she wasn't so honest, but... hey, we got her to admit she's got a problem, mi amor. That's more progress than I ever could've dreamed of- and in only a few short days, too. Hard not to be a little happy at that."

"But...?"

"The timing is still a pretty big buzzkill," Mia admitted. "We were supposed to have a week to win her over, damn it. Between work and spending Thursday afternoon together, shit felt like barely a day and a half. Got myself all pumped up for today, too, and for a while everything was maravilloso, you know? Now, everything's just kinda... eh. Don't know about the two of you, but I almost think we should cut our losses and let her off for the night. Her heart's not gonna be in this next one, and neither is mine."

"I-I'm sorry it turned out like this, Mia..." Rebecca frowned. "If you don't want to play again, that's, um... d-disappointing but totally understandable-"

"We're playing again," Oliver said, gathering his confidence. "We have to."

Mia didn't sound convinced. "We do, do we?"

Dialing it back a bit, he scratched the back of his head and dished out a tired smile. "Sorry. Didn't mean to get so melodramatic there. I'm just thinking to myself. Still, though. Zoe's trying really hard to push herself out of her comfort zone. I know you're upset, but turning her down would be like, the worst thing we could do right now. It's gonna suck- and none of us are gonna have fun- but we should play the game anyway, if only to keep her out of her room for a little while longer."

"Damn you," Mia's head lazily lolled back with a lengthy sigh. "You're right, you're right. Don't listen to me. I'm just tired- tired and pessimistic as shit when it comes to Zoe."

Oliver took Mia's hand and gave it a supportive squeeze. "It's all good. The way you're feeling is perfectly valid, so if you don't have it in you to stay positive, all I ask is that you leave it to me."

"...Gotta say that this determined, unflinching optimism sounds drastically out of character coming from the mouth of my sad, sheltered little white boy. Where's this coming from, mn?"

"Well, if you must know, I...  may know a thing or two about breaking through to a social recluse than I'd care to admit..."

"...Ah. I'd say you should've said so sooner, but-"

"Yeah," Oliver shrugged and looked away. Now she was squeezing his hand. "It's not something I was in a hurry to open up about. Even now, I'd rather not get into the nitty gritty and would prefer if you just trusted me when I tell you we have to keep engaging with Zoe no matter how awkward it might get. Sound good?"

Mia allowed him to drop the subject after stating her approval, giving him a supportive smile to go along with it.

Rebecca also wanted to say something comforting but had no clue how to go about it. That, and she felt it wasn't entirely her place to do so. Fourth wheel, and all that. Instead, she spat out something that stuck out to her which she'd wanted to correct.

"You're um... you're wrong about one thing, soldier..."

"I am?"

"Y-Yes. Sorry, it's just that- ah- a second ago when you said that it's gonna suck and that none of us are gonna have fun- I, um, I just wanted you to know that it doesn't matter if no one else's heart is in the next game because I'll still be having fun!" Rebecca clenched her fists in solid determination, finding the courage to stare him dead-on.

Seeing the awkward nerd acting so cute and resolute prompted a smirk from Oliver. Acting on impulse, he started patting her on the head.

"Of course you will be," he laughed, thinking nothing of it. He only realized what he was doing when Rebecca reflexively dodged the third head pat like she was throwing herself on top of a grenade.

"Ah! N-No!"

Mia shook her head, smiling as Oliver grew increasingly flustered trying to explain himself. "Oh, shit- s-sorry, Rebecca! I, um, I didn't mean to just reach out and casually touch you like that! That was totally inappropriate of me, it's just that I- uh... no, no I shouldn't say I couldn't control myself because you were so... y-yeah, no, that's not an excuse. That's just plain rapey, I-"

"R-R-Rapey?!"

Oliver was redder than ever, even more than he got when messing around with Mia. Accidentally making the precious, innocent little space Nazi enthusiast parrot the word 'rapey' filled him with a previously unthinkable amount of shame. He looked to Mia for support, finding nothing but her teasing grin.

"Couldn't control yourself, mn?"

"No, she's like some sort of small defenseless little animal-" he slumped his shoulders in defeat, whispering to his girlfriend as Rebecca continued shivering a foot away. "She makes me wanna reach out, comfort her, and tell her everything's gonna be okay!"

Mia eyed him up and down. "Relateable," she reached out, ran her fingers through his hair, and smirked. "Everything's gonna be okay, mi amor. Everything's gonna be okay."

[Mia has gained +3 Affection!]

Oliver grumbled internally, both happy and flustered that Mia found him so cute that it raised her affection. It made him make a mental note to look into whether or not there was a love skill related to that- it seemed to happen pretty often.

Great as the attention was, he pulled himself away to focus back on the trembling nerd girl he'd sent into a panic. "Rebecca? Are you-"

"F-Fine, I'm... I'm fine..." she finally managed to pull herself upright after taking a deep breath. "I... I don't do well when people t-touch me, p-people I don't know very well, I mean! Especially not b-boys... but you need to know that it's not you, it's me! Heck, I actually liked it! A lot! I... said that part out loud... didn't I...?"

"Sí, but that's okay. Don't gotta be stressing yourself out over a slip of the tongue, you silly, silly girl. At any rate, mi amor will endeavor to be more careful in the future, won't you?"

"Y-Yes, absolutely! One hundred percent. Sorry again, Rebecca. Really. It won't happen again."

Rebecca slowly inched herself back to her seat, now somehow even more conscious of her proximity to Oliver than before. "Y-You didn't listen to me," she mumbled. "I said it only happened because I don't know you very well yet. T-That, um, doesn't mean I wouldn't mind you touching me in the future..."

There wasn't a shred of lewdness attached to Rebecca's statement whatsoever. It was so earnestly pure that Oliver felt like a vampire standing before a cross, rendering him unable to respond in any way but a respectful nod.

"Phrasing,"

"Huh?"

"Nothing, mi amiga," Mia sighed. "Nothing at all..."

The bathroom door suddenly opened and out came Zoe, who then wandered toward the fridge to grab a fresh can of caffeinated sludge.

"Heard Becca shouting 'rapey' a minute ago. Did I miss out on Olive being a fuckin' creep, or what?"

"You most certainly did not," Oliver sounded off. "I just..."

"Just?"

He spent a couple seconds thinking about it but couldn't think of a way to say 'I compulsively felt the need to reach out and touch Rebecca because she was being adorable' without playing into Zoe's hands. His forehead met his face, prompting Zoe to smirk.

"I-It's okay-" Rebecca burned brightly but clenched her fists regardless, forcing herself to say in his defense, "I was just surprised, b-but I liked it! A lot!"

Zoe cracked open her can, eyed Mia, and then Rebecca. She took a sip. "Of course you did, sweetie," lazily plopping back onto her beanbag chair, Zoe asked, "Everyone ready for game four?"

"As I'll ever be," Mia shrugged, trying and failing to dredge up some enthusiasm. "And how about you, mn? Looks like you're positively raring to go..." she said, referring to Zoe instantly reaching out to snatch up her phone.

"Gah- shit-" Zoe stopped herself short. She'd washed her face while she was away, but sweat was already starting to grease up her brow again. Instead of picking it up, she slid the phone over to Mia. "Hold onto that for me, would you?"

Mia did so, sitting the phone on the ground by her thigh, then moved the conversation forward, urging everyone to help set the board up and pick their shit. What followed was easily the worst board game experience Oliver had ever had in his brief history of having them.

Mia and Zoe both didn't want to be there and no matter how much they tried forcing it, neither could sell the obvious lie.

Zoe was a sweaty mess the entire time, her eyes constantly darting to where Mia hid her phone or toward her door. Her attention span was well and thoroughly fucked. She had to be reminded of when it was her turn, when to roll the dice, and of basic mechanics she herself had memorized to teach the group.

On the other hand, Mia couldn't pretend to give a damn. She was bored. Bored, and frustrated. She put in the bare minimum amount of effort to move the game along, and not an ounce more.

Oliver wasn't into it, either, but he had enough motivation to act like he was, if only to keep Zoe engaged. He basically started acting as her keeper, calling out to her, focusing her, and making sure there was always something resembling a conversation going on at any given moment. As a socially inept dude with more than mild anxiety, this was hell, plain and simple, but at least he wasn't trudging through it alone.

True to her word, Rebecca still somehow had the time of her life. That's not to say the mood was lost on her. She was just so happy to be playing a game with her friends that her mental armor could block it out as long as they were still rolling dice.

She helped Oliver's attempts at conversation, responding when appropriate and even trying to get something out of Zoe and Mia every now and then by herself, but in the end, she won the game so hard that she couldn't even purposefully throw it again evennn if she wanted to.

"Nice one, Rebecca!" Oliver said with a poor facsimile of gusto. "You really nailed it by the end, there. No one else even came close."

"Ah, um, ahaha... yeah, I had some pretty good rolls, I guess...?"

Mia and Zoe mumbled something or other in celebration, too, but it all sounded like indeterminate gibberish. Mia looked like a depressed, dried-out slug, and Zoe looked like you'd find her tweaking out in the nearest dark alley.

Needless to say, Oliver hadn't earned any affection over the last hour and a half.

"So... how are you two holding up? You guys still human, or-"

"Mn. Suppose so? If only by definition..."

"Cool, very reassuring thing to hear. And what abou-" Oliver stopped to watch Zoe comically contort her much bigger body around Mia's to grab her phone. "...Zoe?"

"Huh?" She jolted upright- but only after her target had been safely secured. "Shit, sorry, yeah. Doing great, Olive. Real fuckin' great- no joke. Never better, I- holy shitballs, that's a lot of messages!!"

Oliver and Rebecca exchanged worried looks. It felt odd doing this with someone other than Mia, but Rebecca shared his concerns now that she'd snapped out of her fantasy world where she and all her friends were having fun together and everything was rainbows and unicorns.

Sucking it up, Oliver reached across the table to block Zoe's phone with his hand.

"Gah- h-hey, what the shit, dude?"

[Zoe has lost -1 Affection!]

Yeah, can't say I didn't expect that one...

"Sorry, Zoe. Had to grab your attention somehow- I wanted a quick word before you head back to your room for the night."

"Sure, whatever, uh... as long as it really is a quick one. I'm like... not even here right now, Olive."

"Noticed that, yeah. Just making sure you remember that I'll be cutting off your stream at some point tomorrow so we can hang out."

"There's like... a zero percent chance I'm gonna remember that, bro. I told you I'm gonna be pissed when it happens."

"But I do still have your permission?"

Zoe visibly fought against herself internally for a couple seconds. A war waged in her mind- the correct answer winning only by a slim margin. She managed to nod a couple of times, which was the best she could do.

"...Okay, cool. You're dismis-"

He didn't even finish his sentence before Zoe scrambled back to her room. Mia might've been onto something- that shit really did look like it was straight out of The Exorcist. Forget her spiritual connection to sloths. That chick could move.

Rebecca hung her head. "She didn't even say goodbye to me..."

Oliver's heart went out to the poor girl, whom he was somehow expected not to reach out and smother with head pats.

"Try not to hold it against her. I'm not saying you need to forgive her, but-"

"N-No, I understand... I know Zoe has a problem, and I know that she's having a relapse, but t-that doesn't mean I... um... ah, well... at least she made it through the game?"

"Yeah. We should be proud of her for that much." The two shared a small smile before inevitably turning their attention toward the deflated echo of what used to be Mia. Taking the initiative, Oliver scooted up from behind and scooped her onto his lap. She didn't resist, not even as he gently shook her shoulder.

"Kitten?"

"Is not here right now. There is only husk girlfriend- the girlfriend that is also a husk."

"Doing that bad, huh?"

"Eh. Wouldn't say I'm doing bad. Just... emotionally exhausted. Thinking I need some time to myself tonight if you don't mind. Might go for a walk. Clear my head, then fog it up with a gummy or two."

"That's cool, but you know we could always-"

"Points for consistency, but I'm still not ready to get high with you, mi amor. Saw me drunk yesterday. It's like that, but, mn... a lot worse... sí?"

"So, what, you get even more clingy?"

"Among other things..."

Oliver suddenly noticed Rebecca shifting around in her seat, her face beet-red. She stared at the ground when she caught him looking and mumbled, "S-She's not kidding, you know. There, um, there was this one time when I came over without knowing Mia was already high, and, um... o-oh, I can't even say it!!"

"Becca! Already apologized for that like a billion times- you don't gotta go telling him about-" she stopped, feeling something pressing against her from below. Husk girlfriend looked back at horny boyfriend, finding him only somewhat ashamed. "...Really?"

"Yes, really," Oliver shrugged. "I mean, if the implication isn't that you groped your friend while you were high, I'll happily rescind my reaction, but if it is, then I believe this response is fully warranted and came about through no fault of my own."

"W-What response...?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Mia sighed, accepting her seat on the boner throne. "Mi amor is just easily excitable, and his silly, silly head's running wild with the knowledge that I got so horny when I was high one time that I felt up one of my friends a little..."

"It..." Rebecca paused, memories flashing before her eyes like a shell-shocked soldier returning to a life of peace. She gulped. Then, she adopted a nearly imperceptible smile while whispering to herself, "Was a lot more than a little..."

It was a good thing Oliver hadn't heard that. Things were already hard enough for him, and that would've kicked him over the edge. Instead, he calmed himself down as much as possible before pushing forward.

"Oooookay. Putting that aside, what now? Are you kicking us out?"

"Guess so," Mia frowned. "Sorry, Becca. Just not in the mood to entertain guests anymore. Or boyfriends."

"Oh, it's okay. It's, um, it's not like we didn't just spend eight hours together, ahaha... and hey, I can still fit in some games tonight if I go home now, so that's a win for me, r-right?" Rebecca got out her phone, the case of which was designed to look like the back of a Sorcery the Consumption card. It was 7:30- plenty of time, indeed. "I'll just call a c-c-cab so that I don't bother my dad..."

Mia nudged Oliver's thigh as if he needed the cue. He didn't and was going to volunteer himself regardless since the mere notion of calling a cab seemed like it was gonna give the poor girl a panic attack.

"Why waste your money on a cab when you've got so many expensive hobbies to support? I can take you home."

[Mia has gained +1 Affection!]

Rebecca looked up at him, baffled. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. Now that it was in there, though, it shook her up something fierce. "W-W-What? N-No! I- I couldn't- I mean, I don't want to trouble you-"

"I wouldn't be troubled at all. Really."

"B-But, um, M-Mia would-"

"Feel a lot better knowing my boyfriend is driving my good friend home instead of some shady cab driver? Sí, Becca. I would indeed."

Rebecca's eyes ping-ponged between her two friends, gears spinning in her mind as she tried devising some excuse to escape it. After a few seconds of this awkward hell, her train of thought reached a point where she asked herself why. It wasn't like she was against saving money or didn't want to be alone with Oliver.

Ultimately, her token resistance cracked under pressure, and Rebecca nervously accepted Oliver's offer. She headed to the restroom after they helped pack up her game, giving Oliver and Mia a brief moment alone before his departure.

"You sure you're gonna be alright tonight by yourself, kitten?"

"Reckon I'll manage, sí. I get moody, mi amor. Just cause I'm clingy doesn't mean I won't want to be alone occasionally."

"No, no, I get that. I'm more worried over how you're feeling about Zoe."

"Mn. Currently? Equal parts happy to see her actually trying for once in her life and frustrated at the rug getting pulled out from under our feet. Gives me whiplash, Ollie, and I get pissy when I get whiplash."

"Oh, trust me. I remember." Oliver laughed. "Just... do me a favor and try not to feel like this is the end of the world, Mia. Sure, the goalposts were shifted a little, but they're not so far off that we can't still see them in the distance. Zoe's making an honest effort, and no matter how much she yells at me, I'll do my best tomorrow to keep breaking through to her while you're hanging out with your family. Okay? I promised you I would fix things, and-"

Mia smiled at that, then went quiet. She rubbed her right wrist. "Don't gotta keep pretending you're doing this solely for my benefit, mi amor. I know it's for you just as much as for me."

"Anyone can tell you like Zoe a whole hell of a lot, but it's not just that you're crushing on her, is it? Mn?"

After a long silence and a more prolonged sigh, Oliver confessed, "No. No, it's not, but it's not that I'm doing it explicitly for myself, either. I'm doing it for Zoe because I know what it's like to shut yourself off from the world, plug your brain into the internet, and piss your fucking life away. I wasn't sure what to think about her at first, sure, but now that I know her well enough to understand she cares the world for Rebecca and you and it's just that her brain got fucked up somewhere along the way? I... Mia, I can't even look at Zoe when she's struggling without every last cell in my body screaming 'you have to help her' on an endless goddamn loop, I-"

Mia closed the distance between them, shushing Oliver by pulling him into a bear hug. The weak girl squeezed and squeezed, burying her face in his chest with all the love she could muster.

[Mia has gained +10 Affection! +3 Smooth Talker]

"Silencio, mi amor. Getting all worked up when you still gotta drive Becca home."

"Ah... um... s-sorry, I-"

"Nuh-uh. Don't you fucking apologize for spilling your heart out to me, ese. Normalize that shit and be better. Got it?"

Oliver pulled away from the hug long enough to stare into the eyes of his precious girlfriend, addicted to the way she made him feel. "...Yeah. I got it."

Mia narrowed her eyes, testing his resolve. When he refused to back down and even managed to shoot her a reluctant smile, she returned to nuzzling his chest before throwing him a curveball.

"Take Becca out for dinner before you drop her off,"

"And... that came from... where exactly?"

"Came from me thinking that just because I'm feeling pissy doesn't mean you don't still deserve to have some fun with a cute girl tonight, mi amor. Wager she'll wriggle and squirm at first if you bring it up, but she'll fold if you're insistent."

"Wow. That was quite possibly the worst way you could've put that."

"Oh, shush. You know how Becca is by now. Can't even accept a ride home unless we put her under some pressure. Just... do me a favor and ask, okay? And then do me another by asking again when she says no."

"Why not just suggest it yourself if you're so insistent? Bring it up before we take off."

"Defeats the purpose, silly. It'll mean more coming from you."

"If you say so. I'm still not sure I'm comfortable forcing her to do something she doesn't want to, but-"

"Ollie, she's not a child. If she doesn't want to do something, you'd know. Idling, shifting around, and avoiding eye contact is Rebecca for 'yes, I would very much like that, but I'm too nervous I'd somehow trouble you by admitting it'. Asking you to trust that I know my friend of seven years well enough to know she'd love the chance to-"

"Okay, okay! I get it. You don't need to keep sounding off on me like that." Oliver laughed.

"You know I'm pissy right now," Mia ended the hug, folding her arms and pouting. "So you'll ask?"

"I will ask,"

"And when she says no?"

"I will trust your judgment and ask her again while trying not to feel like a creepy alpha male dudebro who automatically assumes 'no' means 'yes',"

[Mia has gained +1 Affection! +1 Smooth Talker]

"Muy bien," Mia smiled, grabbing Oliver by his collar and surprising him by initiating a kiss on her own. She felt slightly overly protective after he'd revealed his power level a second ago by hinting at his tragic backstory. Her lips and tongue showered him in love, putting so much passion into it that it left him breathless and unable to respond for several seconds after she pulled away.

"...Too much?"

"So, do I, like, have to leave, or-"

Rebecca came out of the bathroom wearing a frazzled expression. "S-Sorry I took so long! I was, um, I-I was going through my emails, and I noticed there was a newsletter about some upcoming units that just got revealed earlier today, and I- ah... um... got... distracted... ahaha..."

"All good, Becca. Ollie was just getting ready to go and start the car. Weren't you, mi amor?"

"Indeed I was," he sighed longingly but smiled quick enough afterward for Rebecca not to catch on. "Ready when you are."

After the two girls shared a hug goodbye and Oliver convinced Rebecca to allow him to carry her heavy-ass backpack, the two were on their way. She slouched the second they left, looking smaller than ever and letting out a small yawn.

"Long day, huh?"

"I- um... y-yeah... it was a good one, though! Mostly, I mean. Aside from the drama."

"That fucking temp ban just had to go and get lifted at the worst possible time, didn't it...?"

"No, the worst possible time would've been, um, this morning right after I got there, d-don't you think?"

"On second thought, you're right. That would've sucked." Oliver nodded, holding open the door for her as they left the building and started toward the parking lot. He pointed out his car to her, and they started walking toward it. Opening the back seat, Oliver dropped Rebecca's bag off and watched as she entered from the opposite side.

"You can sit up front with me if you want. Don't gotta hide away in the back."

"Ah- um, t-thank you, b-but... I'm... still a little nervous about... you know... so... I think I'll stay back here f-for now. Please don't take that the wrong way, though!"

"That's cool, just offering," he gave her a gentle smile while doubting Mia's plan. He couldn't imagine her agreeing to get dinner together if Rebecca was still so anxious about being near him. Still, he promised he'd ask.

Ignoring his fast travel menu and getting in the driver's seat, Oliver turned to face her and threw it out there.

"By the way, are you hungry?"

"...Huh?" Rebecca blinked blankly. "Um, yeah. Quite a lot. W-Why do you ask?"

Oliver got a little nervous at her initial reaction, but you couldn't say he wasn't improving. He pushed past his anxiety, doing his best to project friendly vibes instead of creepy ones.

"Oh, no reason. Just thought I'd offer to grab dinner somewhere on our way to your place if you wanted? My treat."

He watched in real-time as the gears in Rebecca's head jammed in place. She heated up, idled, shifted in her seat, and avoided eye contact. "I- ahhhh... don't... know about that..." she bit her lower lip. "I am pretty hungry, b-but... I don't want to trouble you, a-and-"

"I wouldn't be troubled at all, Rebecca. Your dad went out of his way to feed me this morning, so I can't in good conscience bring back his daughter without..." Oliver paused, blushing after catching himself.

"W-Without...?"

"Nothing, I just... nearly slipped and almost said 'without filling her up' before I realized how bad that would sound..."

"I, um... I don't get it..."

"Don't worry about it, not a big deal," he sighed, relieved. "Offer still stands. I don't know about you, but I'm pretty stressed out after that whole mess and would love to stop, sit down, and unwind somewhere for a bit- just you and me."

Silly thoughts flooded Rebecca's mind. She didn't think hanging out alone with her friend's boyfriend was very appropriate, but he was nice. Really nice.

Her biggest weakness.

She thought about it a little more and concluded that it probably wouldn't be a big deal. There didn't exist a single world in the entire multiverse where this cute boy would show any kind of romantic interest in her, and it wasn't like she was about to steal him away from Mia with her good looks or charming personality any time soon, either. So long as she kept her expectations in check, what was the harm in saying yes?

"Well... I, um, I guess that would be okay... b-but... can I ask something a little... strange?"

"Uh, sure?"

"This is mostly a rhetorical question. I- ah- already imagine I know the answer because my impression of you is that you're a really, really nice guy, b-but my nerves won't settle down unless I hear you actually tell me 'no'."

Oliver took this much more seriously knowing that easing the poor girl's anxiety was the line, telling her, "Okay. Take your time and lay it on me as soon as you're ready."

Rebecca nodded, sucked in a deep breath, and asked, "It's just, um, there's somewhere specific I'd like to go, but... you wouldn't judge me if it was a little... childish... would you...?"

***

Stat Changes

Mia Rosas | Status: Girlfriend | 92/300 | ❤❤❤♡♡

Zoe Myers | Status: Friend | 83/100 | ♡♡♡♡♡