LARP: 20

There was the sound of the door closing, and I looked to see Kalim.

"How long has he been out there?" I asked her.

"Not sure," she said. "But he's still out there."

###

Out through the smoke.

Through the field of dead.

Through the jungle.

To the beach.

And finally, back to the ship.

With that final shot, Moon had killed the last of the dark elves. Kalim ran to the woman's body, patting it down, searching for I don't know what, while Moon struggled to his feet and saw the flames in the soot already starting to get out of control.

"Help me!" I cried, even as I adjusted Fook, holding him up, and looked him directly in his eyes.

"I'm proud of you," I said, staring into those big eyes. He blinked for a moment, and slowly, he became less heavy in my arms. I could see his feet finally connecting with the floor of the mine.

The smoke, however, was becoming dense. "Kalim!" Moon cried. "Now! We have to go."

Reluctantly, Kalim began sprinting after us, as all of us together began to make our escape.

###

Once we were back on Nigel's ship, the Swagg Ratchet, we managed to get Fook into a bed. I'd exhausted the last of my healing just to get him stable enough to escape the mine, but now that the rage had left him, he lay there, his gut bandaged, still covered with stab wounds from the kobolds we'd fought in the village.

We'd been successful in our mission, but it would take time to heal, now.

We'd all made it back, but Moon was still out on the deck, having apparently refused to come in. I'd found my chest, and thankfully found another dress to change into--the one I'd fought in had been completely covered in soot and blood by now.

Kalim had at first tried to explain the significance of some sort of note she'd found on the dead dark elf caster, but I could barely process it. After she explained it, she headed off to Nigel, leaving me alone with Fook in his room.

He was so quiet as he lay there... with him laughing all day, I'd been a bit worried. He also almost looked comical, nearly overflowing off the sides of the small bunk his huge frame was positioned on.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He smiled and looked at me. "I'll be fine," he said. "It just hurts. But it... hurts good," he said, snorting. "I've never felt so alive, but I also... never felt so scared."

"When she cast that spell?" I asked.

He nodded. "I couldn't move. I could just stand there and watch that dark self charge me, stab me in the gut. And when the woman blasted Moon, I couldn't help him. In the village, we were hacking down kobolds left and right and it was... fantastic! But as soon we ran into that dark elf... as soon as we ran into someone with MAGIC..." He swallowed. "Thank you for saving me..." and then he glanced away.

Was he thinking about that moment in the mine, when I had to choose whether to heal him or Moon first? Was he... hurt that I chose Moon? Should I even explain it?

"You fucked them up," I said, thinking this would be more comforting. "And I meant it when I said I was proud of you."

He swallowed again. "Why does that... feel so good?" He laughed. "Say it again."

"I'm proud of you, Fook."

To my surprise, I saw a small tear. Fook was certainly the first orc I'd met, but it still surprised me seeing a big strong male orc shedding a tear in this moment.

"Thank you, Eimi," he said. And then, after a moment, he looked away, and said, "And sorry for... for kissing you in the village."

I blushed, not knowing what to say. "You were caught up in the moment. It's okay."

"Right," he said. "Right." Then, he flinched, rubbing his side. "I'm... I'm gonna try to get some rest."

"Okay, Fook," I said, patting his side. "You feel better soon."

As I stood up, I wasn't entirely sure how long we'd be in this world. Was it until the campaign ended? So far everything had felt like 'real time' both in game and in what I imagined was the real world. But... would we be sleeping here? In these bodies? In this world?

I wasn't sure. But in any case, I still needed to check on Moon, too.

###

The moon was high. The stars were out. There was some wind, just enough to make me hyper-aware that even this second dress I was in still was shoulderless, still left my... well, the top of my cleavage both visible to the eye and exposed to the elements. If I had a proper jacket I was sure I'd stay a little warmer. The wind also gently blow at my blonde tresses, so that strands of hair were constantly teasing the top of my back. I felt so... exposed.

Most of the Nigel's crew were in their bunks for the night, but there was a lookout up in the crow's nest. So even though, with the wind, I felt a bit private as I approached Moon, I knew we were being watched.

He was out there, just looking up at the moon. He'd been tended to as well, and had changed shirts after his last one had been sundered by the blast to his shoulder. I wasn't even sure if he heard me approaching.

"Hey there," I said, coming up beside him.

He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and turned down to me. "Hey you," he said, cautiously.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'll live, thanks to you," he said. And then slowly, he said, "In the mine. I really... I wanted to thank you for what you did. Choosing to heal me."

I found myself blushing again. "It was a good strategic decision. I wasn't sure how long that spell on Fook would last for."

He nodded. "Of course, of course, it's just--" he paused. The wind picked up for a moment, so I stood beside him in silence, feeling the ship crashing over the waves. "It's just, I so rarely feel like someone picks me."

"Picks you?" I asked.

"I mean, in the real world too--but particularly in my memories of this world. You've felt them too, right? Your memories coming on?" He pauses. "In this world, I've been incredibly lonely. It felt really good, having you pick me in the mine to heal--even if it was just strategy."

"Well, I'm glad," I said. "I know we're just getting to know one another, but you shouldn't be lonely."

He laughed, and turned back to the waves.

"I wish you picked me beyond just strategy, though," he said. I wasn't sure what he meant. "Everything always seems to move so fast. I'm not used to being reckless, but I always end up feeling like I'm left behind. I'm not used to making the first move, but when Fook kissed you in the village..." he paused. "I've never felt more intense envy--more furious jealousy in my life. I couldn't explain it."

"Moon..." I whispered.

"Eimi, I..." he turned to me, and then paused, looking into my eyes.

I found myself surprised by those intense and yet vulnerable purple eyes that seemed to peer into my soul. I didn't fully know what was happening as his head started approaching mine, and I suddenly found his hand around my back.

"Moon!" I began to say in protest, my hands going up to his chest, feeling first his muscles, then sliding up and gently feeling his scar from the wound earlier--I didn't want to hurt him but--

Suddenly I found his lips pressed against mine. I pressed my hand against his chest, shocked again but how much control it felt like these men had around me. At first I wanted to hiss no into his lips, and yet, I found, to my surprise, my lips kissing him back.

I wasn't sure what was happening, but I could feel a warmth spreading across my body, more than just a blush. My legs felt weak. My heart was racing. I felt like I was physically shaking.

At the same time, my mind began to drift in panic, thinking of looking into Fook's eyes just moments earlier as I'd said to him I'm proud of you. I felt a tension rising throughout my body. This didn't feel right.

I blinked, and opened my eyes, and saw Moon registering what he had just done.

"Eimi, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--" he began to say. And then, blushing furiously himself, he stepped back, letting go of me, and then turned and hurried away.

As I watched him go, breathless, heart racing, I realized my life had just gotten a lot more complicated...