Page 7 of Pixel Perfect Pack

“God, you’re always such a drama queen. Get your shit, I’ll start the car.” Jack turns to shut the door behind him, pausing for just a second. “And clean up in here before my mother has a fucking hissy fit.”

Four

Kito

We’re three rounds in when JJ finally pops up as online. Even if I hadn’t seen the notification I’d have known she was on her way just by taking note of how MourningStar and Quietek go silent. We’re all well aware of her and MourningStar’s late-night communication. Sure, not much was said but the very fact she sent a picture of herself to him? It’s something.

I don’t exactly know what kind of something but still. Something.

JJ’s over two hours later than she usually is and that alone makes me nervous. I know she goes to her boyfriend’s mum’s house on a Sunday but she always makes an effort to get home as fast as possible. She’s not one for social gatherings, she’s similar to Quietek in that regard. She’s mentioned before that she’s diagnosed with ASD and finds it difficult to manage her emotions outside of the house. As far as I’m aware overstimulation is a big thing for her, but she doesn’t talk about it much.

“Hey,” she says over the mic. There’s something different about her voice that I can’t quite place. She sniffs and clears her throat and I instantly realise she’s upset. Even with the dodgy sound quality, I know she’s been crying.

“Hey, Princess,” MourningStar replies, sounding a little on edge himself. Maybe because he’s never used that nickname for her in front of us.

I fight to find the nerve to ask her outright but settle on a “You alright there, JJ?”

If her fucking piece of shit boyfriend is responsible for her being upset I’ll gladly hunt him down and kill him. It wouldn’t take much, from what I’ve heard he’s around half my size so not exactly much of a threat.

“What, do I sound awful?” she asks with a bite.

“No,” Quietek replies on my behalf. “You’re just later than usual.”

“I had to rest for a while, my head was pounding. Satisfied?”

We might not be able to see each other but I know for a fact the other two guys are just as concerned as I am. She doesn’t talk about it much but JJ has a chronic illness, one that causes pain and fatigue, not to mention the number of times she’s fallen over and broken something. From body parts to TV’s, nothing is safe when she’s in a flare up.

I pull up a private chat with the guys and type a quick message.

Of course Mourning didn’t show us the picture, he kept that all to himself. Something about not wanting to betray her trust, since she sent it to him and him only. It’s frustrating but if the tables were turned I’d do the same thing.

“Are we going to play or what?” JJ asks and I hurriedly close the chat tab as if she might be able to see it through the screen.

By the time we’ve gotten through five matches the blue glow from my computer is beginning to hurt my eyes. I want to call it quits and sign off for the night but JJ’s mood is still bothering me. I don’t know why but I get the feeling she doesn’t want to be alone, bad mood or not, she needs some comfort or support.

“I need to sleep, guys,” Mourning yawns and I listen as his chair creaks while he presumably stretches.

“Me too,” Quietek adds. “As usual, I have work to catch up on by tomorrow and I’ve already left it late.”

“Catch you tomorrow, I guess,” JJ replies in a sigh.

Within a few seconds, the guys have signed off and left me and JJ alone. It’s not a rare occurrence, we’re usually the last ones standing on a Sunday night. But it makes me more inclined to check in on her.

“So you’re sure you’re okay?” I ask, hating how basic the question sounds but I’ve never been a wordsmith.

She hums over the mic, her character going AFK on the screen. I fiddle with the armrests of my gaming chair while I wait for her to speak, picking at the leather where it’s lifting at the seams.

“Sunday lunch didn’t exactly go to plan,” she admits, finally. With that, it’s like the floodgates have been opened and she goes on to relay everything that happened while she was at her boyfriend’s family home. To my surprise, I keep my cool. Even when she tells me that prick insinuated she’d had one too many roast potatoes. It sounds ridiculous but I think it makes me so angry because all I want is to make sure she’s taken care of. There’s some twisted thing inside me that wants to make this girl I’ve never met feel safe.

“If you were mine I’d let you eat as many fucking roast potatoes as you like,” I state, realising just how stupid it sounds. But to my absolute joy, when she speaks next, I can hear the smile in her voice.

“Maybe I’m just grouchy, something is going on with me I just can’t quite put my finger on it.” Although she sounds as though she’s holding back, I let it go.

“You think you’re getting sick?” I frown, running a hand back through my hair and letting my fingers tangle in the strands. “You know your chronic illness gets worse when you’re run down.”

“Yeah, I know,” she replies. “I don’t think I’m ill, as such. Just cursed.”

“Sounds fun.” I laugh and she joins in with me. And by God have I missed that sound. It’s probably only been a day since I last heard her sweet giggle but hearing it now is like being punched in the stomach. What I wouldn’t give to see her face when she laughs. Just to know what her lips are like, her eyes. Whether she’s animated when she speaks, like me, or if she’s calm and cool more like Adair. I don’t include Orion in the equation since we all know he’s a grumpy bastard.

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