[F24- PP] Companionship (Oscar) <<Date Night>>

[Jevi 0]

The sun began to crest over the rolling dunes of sand, painting a dark shadow where the artificial light no longer reached. The blue sky gave way to a darker hue, coupled with shades of purples and oranges. The blistering heat of the desert faded, a chilled air taking its place. A light breeze passed over the sand, like a gentle wave carrying small particles of sand with it. The brunette sat on the ground just outside of her small, domed shop. A woven blanket of blue and white sat on her shoulders shielding his bare arms from the bite of the cold. Jevi was never a fan of the cold, always preferred the heat. Though, spending most of the day in her blazing forge proved to be a bit much to her, so retreating to the outdoors once the sun began to set was just enough to keep her from over heating. 

Yellow eyes gazed forward towards the setting sun, looking to a shaded dune as to not look into the bright light for too long. A lot plagued her mind recently, especially loneliness. With her guild now disbanded, she honestly had no idea who to turn to. All of her friends were either dead or off doing their own thing. With a heavy sigh, her knees pulled towards her chest, and her forehead hung, gently resting atop her knees. 

She ignored the chime of a notification for just a moment longer, before picking her head up to see. Opening her menu to view the finer details, she saw it was not a message from a friend, but an automated message... the title <Date Night.> "Ah shit.. I forgot I signed up for that.." she said to herself after sucking her teeth. With a few flicks of her finger, she read through the brief message and saw that she was paired with someone named Oscar. "Hm.." she hummed, for she had no idea who that was. Maybe it was for the better that it was someone she had never met before, but at the same time, getting to know someone new was always a bitch. 

Quote

To: Oscar
Subject: date night? 

hey,

so it looks like we were paired up. 

... i'm not really good at this so.. 

do you want me to meet you somewhere? or should we pick some floor to meet up on?

- Jevi

With a quick message sent to Oscar, Jevi rose to her feet and brushed the sand off of her pants. "I should.. probably get cleaned up first.." 

 

@Oscar

[Oscar 0]

"Call," Oscar said confidently.

Veiled behind the wide lenses of his dark aviators, Oscar's eyes flicked down to the two cards in his hand. Queen of Hearts, Queen of Clubs. His eyes quickly moved back up to the other players in the game. They stared daggers into the four cards lying face up in the middle of the table, precisely to the left of a sizeable pile of Col. More Col - in fact - than they had probably seen in their entire time in Aincrad. It was still less Col than Oscar got in an hour of grinding on the higher floors. He'd spent most of his day losing a few dozen thousand Col in this dive bar down on Floor Seven. The stench of whiskey and tobacco hung heavy in the air. It reminded Oscar a lot of his youth. Of course, in those days, he was the lookout. If any cops showed up on the block, he was to sound the alarm and help clear the place out. Out of all the odd jobs he did for the small time criminals in Boston in his younger years, those were the best ones. Cops didn't care about some low-level illegal gambling. More often than not, Oscar was sat at the couch watching the adults play and helping himself to whatever food was lying around.

But now, the roles had shifted somewhat. Regular Poker games with the men who took up residence in Deepedge was perhaps the most complex that his charity got. The men wouldn't take a handout. They were salt-of-the-earth folk. Working class. Men who had scraped up enough to buy their kids a NerveGear and responsible enough to have dove in first to see what it was all about. If you picked a face out of the crowd, Oscar could probably tell you their story - either told to him directly or overheard in one of the rare instances where these normally-stoic individuals just couldn't keep it in anymore. Men like this wouldn't take a handout. If Oscar waltz in throwing money around, they'd very well let it languish on the floor. Their pride wouldn't let them. But prideful men still needed to eat. They just wouldn't take a handout.

But everyone loves to fleece a sucker. Especially if that sucker is a rich boy from the mansion just outside of town.

He took a drag from his cigarette - when in Rome, after all - and flicked his ashes into the tray on his left. All of the shitty aftertaste, none of the nicotine. Thanks Cardinal, he thought. It was a delicate process. Lose too much and they figure he's throwing on purpose. Win too much and that just defeats the whole purpose. Oscar was down about 20 grand, with another 30 in the pot. He very much wished to lose this hand. He was about ready to head out, but he couldn't walk away up 10 grand either. Problem was, his hand was made on the flop. Four face-up cards contained a Queen of Hearts and Queen of Diamonds. Four-of-a-Kind was an nearly-impossible hand to top. He was in a rather impossible situation. He couldn't fold because they would all reveal their hands at the end. If he folded on a Four-of-a-Kind, they would know something was up. But if he played through, an entire day's worth of work went down the drain.

Mercifully, the chime of a message hitting his inbox saved him. He haphazardly swiped with his right hand, bringing up his menu and earning disapproving looks from every man at the table.

"Disqualified!" One of the men exclaimed.

Oscar let out a heavy sigh and threw his cards on the table. "Damn, force of habit."

One of the more curious individuals peered down at the discarded cards, now face up and on display. "Damn Oscar. You can't catch a break. Woulda cleaned our clocks with that hand," he said.

"I know, right? I was looking forward to squeezing you guys for once. Maybe next time," Oscar said. He finished off his cigarette and extinguished it in the tray. "But I gotta take this. I'll see you guys later."

Oscar was seen out the door with friendly waves and goodbyes. Once he was out of the dark and grungy bar and into the daylight, he opened the message proper. Jevi? Who the fu- Oh! That date thing. Oscar didn't really know why he'd signed up for it. Technically, he was still in a relationship. He thought. He really didn't know. What does it mean when your girlfriend doesn't come home for three months? Years of experience in his career as a therapist and Oscar still couldn't answer that. But being as he'd torpedoed the relationships he had with practically every ally he had, perhaps just hanging out with someone new would be just what the doctor ordered.
 

Quote

To: @Jevi
Subject: RE: date night?

No sweat. I'm bad at this too. How does Floor Three sound? Quaint little inn there has some pretty good food. Doesn't see much foot traffic either. Unless you're thinking something more public. Then you really can't go wrong at the Arena on Floor 24. Crazy action, huge monsters. A whole SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY type thing. Your call though.

- Oscar

His first thought had been to bring her to his place and cook something there. Three problems. First, the whole bringing her to his place pitch. All sorts of messy connotations. Second, he'd done that for almost everyone he'd met. And with things developing the way they were, there was no way he was inviting a stranger back to the place he rested his head. And third, it was hard to bring people to his home without it seeming like he was flexing on them. Maybe he should go for a smaller house. Something without so many white marble statues. In the meantime, while he waited for a reply, he had to get the taste of stale tobacco out of his mouth.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Oscar

[Jevi 0]

The forge did not have much in terms of a shower, since it was not exactly a 'home.' Though, it was the only place Jevi could call home nowadays. She never even tried to save up for a player home and going into town to rent a room in the local inn was just as costly, at least over a long period of time. Her craft could earn her money, if there weren't already so many other blacksmiths in Aincrad willing to do much better work at a faster pace. At the end of the day, however, it was fine, for Jevi was not a materialistic person, and could easily live off of the bare minimum she had in her little smithy. So filling up a basin full of water and taking a clean rag, Jevi began to wipe off the soot and sweat from her person. 

Luckily, she did not need to worry about stench in this world, but her conscious would not let her go more than a few days without at least cleaning herself off. She let out a heavy sigh as she looked into her silhouetted reflection in the water, the ripples slowly calming so she could get a better look at herself. Maybe one day she would be able to live a better, happier life, instead of sleeping in a bedroll in the corner of a hot, cramped shop. Her visage was broken as she lowered her cupped hands into the cool liquid, bringing up as much as she could to splash onto her face. As she she stood up straight, and ran her damp fingers through her hair, she received another notification. A response from Oscar, nonetheless. 

Continuing to comb her moistened hand through the strands of brunette hair, she opened the message and read over the brief contents. She found herself smirking at his language in the message, at least it seemed like he had some what of a sense of humor. That could hopefully make this less dreadful, maybe even enjoyable. And an arena on Floor 24? That had been the first she had heard of it. She quickly fingered a response.

Quote

To: @Oscar
Subject: RE: RE: date night?

while food is always a good time, and easy date. 'quaint' definitely isnt a word id use the describe a fun night in my mind.

monster fighting arena on floor 24, on the other hand. now we are talking. 

ive never been to that floor before, so ill wait for you at the teleport plaza so i dont get lost. 

ill meet you there soon.

- Jevi

It had been awhile since she had been out, so she figured wearing something a bit more comfortable and casual for the night would suffice. Unless they were the ones fighting the monsters, of course. She'd cross that bridge when they got there. Taking a quick look through her extra outfits, she decided to wear a pair of black, denim pants with boots, a light grey shirt and a leather jacket.

 

[Oscar 0]

Oscar made the short trek home and was wrist deep in preparing lunch when he heard the chime of a message being received. He hadn't anticipated that she would get back to him so quickly and he couldn't very well put down what he was doing. It was only after the cooking was done that he was able to extricate himself from the front of the grill long enough to read her message. As he did so, a pleased smile stretched over his features. I like her already. It did, however, create something of a problem. If he ate now, then he would be too full to grab anything with her. He'd just need to scrap his lunch plans and make something for them both. As much as he would like to eat now, he figured he could wait a while longer. Oscar picked up his plate and stepped outside of the kitchen. Then, he placed it on the ground and whistled sharply.

"Come on now boys! Get your lunch!" he exclaimed. Leeroy and Jenkins could be heard dashing across the marble floors. In their excitement, the pair drifted into the dining hall and slammed into the door. But the power of a good burger and fries was too much for the two-headed Cerberus to really give it the time of day. They skidded to a stop, pushing the plate along the floor as they greedily scarfed down its contents. As they ate, Oscar merely laughed and opened up his messenger.

 

Quote

To: @Jevi
Subject: RE: RE: RE: date night?

Sounds good. I'm running a bit behind. Feeding the dog. I'll whip us up a lunch and be there as soon as I can. I'd get some concessions at the Arena, but I'm a Cook and professionals have standards. I think I can make something a little better than dry hot dogs and stale popcorn. Lol anyway, I'll see you soon.

- Oscar

As he retrieved the clean plate from his now-satiated hounds, Oscar returned to the kitchen and mulled over what to make. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to show off a little bit, but there was only so much that one could do with a hot dog. Of course, his specialty was Americana so there was a smorgasbord of items he could make. It would need to be mobile as they'd probably be eating on the go. A thought popped into his head and he cracked a smile. "Now that's an idea," he mused. He set to work, quickly throwing together something that he thought he could really put some finesse into. Not so complex that it required a full plate setting but not so simple that it was inelegant. His solution had been Philly Cheesesteak subs - a creation almost synonymous with the American Northeast. A taste of home for him and, hopefully, an enjoyable meal for her.

Once those had been prepped, wrapped, and added to his inventory, Oscar headed upstairs to change. Not a very time-consuming endeavor. He changed into a grey pinstripe suit with a black button-up and tie. His leather gloves came with the package. Oddly enough, however, he opted to leave his shades and overcoat at home. His usual attire gave off heavy Mafia Don vibes. He really didn't think that would be a good icebreaker. With everything done and sorted Oscar headed for the door. Leeroy and Jenkins were a bit too indolent after their heavy meal and thus didn't rush after him as they normally did. A good thing, too. Oscar needed them to stay home otherwise neither he nor Jevi would be able to enjoy the lunch he made. As it turns out, two-headed Cerberuses could jump pretty damn high. Oscar had had his food snapped right out of his hand more times than he could count.

He returned to town as quickly as his feet could carry him. He'd already kept her waiting long enough and for a man who liked to be a prompt as possible that was absolutely unacceptable. Oscar stepped onto the Teleportation Platform and disappeared in a flash of light. The Plaza of Paraneze stretched out before him. He stepped off the platform and started looking around - searching for someone who seemed like they might be waiting on someone. When he didn't find anyone, he looked down at his watch and clicked his tongue. Maybe he took too long and she headed back. Should he send another message? Maybe she's running late too? While he mused, Oscar shoved his hands into his pockets. It would hurt to just wait around for a bit.

[Jevi 0]

Feeling satisfied with the outfit she had put on, Jevi looked into the small mirror that hung over the sink. Her fingers combed through her hair a couple of times, catching any of the stray hairs that flopped over the partially shaved part of her head. Yellow eyes then locked with her own reflection, and the woman took in a deep breath. Her nostrils burned from the distinct smell of coal dust and molten iron. Bringing a hand up to the side of her face, she prodded the mirror, as if giving a peer a pep talk. "Don't be a bitch." she simply said to herself, "Try to have a good time." Jevi constantly battled depression, and that, paired with her troubled past, built a hefty brick wall around her already thick skin. After Grave, and her friends in her old guild, she began to tore that wall down.. for a little while at least. The abandonment she felt just replaced those old bricks, and that wall stood tall again. Today, however, maybe she would try to step around it and not let it get in the way. 

By the time she left her shop, she had noticed another response from Oscar. He had a few things to take care of before heading up to their destination, so it seemed she had a little bit of time and did not have to rush. Jevi never owned a pet growing up, so she wasn't exactly sure how long it would take to feed a dog. With that in mind, she kept a slightly slower pace walking back into Fortaleza. Nonetheless, she eventually arrived at the settlement, and stepping atop the teleportation platform, she spoke her destination and was off to the 24th floor. 

Her eyes took a minute to adjust to the new location; the white light from teleporting, as well as the shining afternoon sunlight of this floor blinded her for but just a moment. When she finally came to, however, she was greeted with a unique sight. A vast sea of clear blue stretched out as far as the eye could see, islands of various sizes speckled the ocean with long bridges connecting many of them. A spark of childish wonder washed over her for a moment as she stepped off the platform, slowly stepping in a circle to gauge the beauty of this floor. Snapping back to reality, she took a quick look around to see if Oscar had arrived... not like she knew what he would look like anyway. One man, in particular, stood out from the rest. Many of the players around wore armor, a few dressed in more casual attire, but not many wore pinstriped suits. He stood alone, as if waiting for someone. Dressed to impress, standing alone, who else could it have been. Stepping up to where the man waited, the brunette cracked a smirk, "Well, now I feel under dressed." she started with a joke, "Oscar, I presume?" 

@Oscar

[Oscar 0]

Oscar chuckled. All this time he thought he'd kept her waiting and the rolls were reversed. Well, well, well. How the turntables... Being honest, her sudden entry presented something of an issue. Did he lead with a handshake or a hug? Was this a platonic or romantic date? Probably the former, he decided. There was only so much romance one could squeeze out of watching bloodsport and that amount was exceptionally low. But, not wanting to sully the vibe with an improper greeting, in lieu of extending his hand, Oscar gave her a slight nod and a smile. Best to keep the physical contact to a minimum considering the fact that they pair of them had only just met literal seconds ago.

"There was a song that said 'I don't want my best-dressed day in the casket,'" Oscar replied. "I took it to heart. I'd hoped for the obvious hitman joke. Something like 'where's the garrote wire?' For shame, Jevi. Not off to great start," he added with a faux chiding tone. Oscar allowed his joke to linger just long enough to sink in before he continued. "All jokes aside, it's a pleasure. Truthfully, I wasn't certain what to expect when I signed up for this thing. I should count myself lucky that I'm not shanghaied into a moonlit gondola ride or some such nonsense." Saccharine and overdone dates stripped straight from a movie didn't make for an entertaining evening in Oscar's eyes. He let out a heavy sigh, more of relief than anything else.

Jevi was perfectly lovely and Oscar was still a man. The idea of being accompanied anywhere by a pretty woman brought forth a primal sort of joy straight from the deepest recesses of his amygdala. Instinct clashed with emotion as he remembered, yet again, that he was a taken man. Or about as taken as a man whose girlfriend had gone absentee for months could have been. A pang of guilt clawed at his chest. It was, unfortunately, decision time. The choice was between remaining silent or being clear. It wasn't really a choice. Oscar had been accused of many thing in his life, but never infidelity.

"I need to mention here that I'm in some weird relationship mess at the moment. I'd hoped for something not-romantic when I signed up. I don't want to do you or her the discourtesy of not being upfront about it. There's only so much bro talk a man can take before he wants to drive a stake into his ears. I don't mean to spring something heavy like this on you either," he said. Bad idea. They'd barely finished with the introductions and Oscar was screaming in her face that he had a girlfriend. He recoiled - slightly, but still visibly. "Ah, son of a bitch. Now who's off to the bad start?"

 

[Jevi 0]

Just as quirky in person, thats good that he's not afraid to have a sense of humor outside of a message. Jevi thought to herself, her hands sliding into the pockets of her leather jacket. A chuckle escaped through her parted, smirking lips as she freed a hand to move a lonely strand of hair from in front of her face. "Sorry, didn't really make a hitman connection when I first saw you.. Usually not a thought I want to have when showing up to a blind date." she said with a shifted brow, one raised higher than the other.

"Likewise." she responded with a nod, "I'm usually not one for dates.. especially ones set up with a complete stranger. Honestly.. I don't entirely remember signing up for this.. I was probably half asleep after a days work just trying to get food and mainly wanted to get the NPC who organized it to shut the hell up." she coupled her assumption with a laugh, implying a lightheartedness to the situation. "But in all honesty, I needed this. An excuse to get out of the dark and actually enjoy myself." 

For the first time since meeting just a few moments ago, the two shared a few long seconds of silence. There was a strange awkwardness in the air, a tension that Jevi could not grasp the meaning to. She could see it in Oscar's face, just a few twinges of emotion as he seemed to process some thoughts in that head of his. Finally, he revealed the bit that had been troubling him, and she could not blame him. The brunette's lips pursed, slowly nodded in understanding as Oscar explained how he was, technically, a taken man. Despite not being completely on game for this date idea, a minuscule portion of Jevi's heart wanted to see where this would go. Hell, she had been hung on Grave for the longest time, and tried to find that love in Ruby but failed there as well. 

Laying heavy on the drama, Jevi clasped her hands against her chest, and slightly upturned her head towards the sky, "I can't believe you'd break my heart like that, after all we've been through." And... scene. Dropping the act, Jevi crossed her arms at her chest and smiled a toothy grin, "No worries, I can completely understand. My ex boyfriend just up and left one day without a word. Haven't heard from him since. No break up text or anything. So I know the feeling. And like I said, I could use the company. Now come on, Don Corelone, we've got a date to go on. So, should we start with lunch? Or should we save that for when we get to the arena?" 

@Oscar

[Oscar 0]

By some cosmic fluke, Oscar had wound up getting paired up with a woman going through the exact issue he was. The sheer ludicrousness of the coincidence left Oscar speechless - if only for a moment. He cracked a smile and slumped forward just a bit, his hand moving up to the bridge of his nose. "I went and got myself worked up for nothing. Thank fuck for the small mercies." He clicked his tongue and, like that, he was back. He straightened his back and ran his fingers through his hair before letting his arm fall limply to his side. Similarities between their circumstances aside, Oscar found himself resonating with Jevi. It had been too long since he'd met someone who could keep up with his "wit." Another one of those small mercies.

"I like to think of myself as more of a Scarface than Corleone, but it's hard to tell without the mountains of cocaine," Oscar quipped. "Or would it be Heisenberg since I cook and all? Speaking of."

Oscar opened his menus and summoned up a pair of foil-wrapped cylinders. The scent of the sandwiches wafted through the air, creating an almost haze of onion and pepper-scented mist in their immediate vicinity. "I'll let you make the call about lunch. I've got two steak and cheese subs layered with about half a pound of meat, three different types of cheese and a veritable salad of onions and peppers - some mild, some hot - a piece. Do you really wanna make these puppies wait? I really don't think I've ever made a more unholy union of food in my entire time stuck here."  

[Jevi 0]

"I was never really much of a movie watcher, or TV at all for that matter. So my knowledge of any of those references are pretty dull. The outfit just made you look like the mobster type. But I like it, can't lie. Not everyday you see someone walking around in a full suit, rather than armed to the teeth in metal plates." There was an old player whom she thought she had run into at some point who also always wore a suit.. a tux to be exact. The name escaped her, but he was an asshole anyway. Thinking back to the prior topic at hand, the brunette shrugged her shoulders, they really had been in quite the similar situation. "But hey, we've all been through some shit. At least you're out and about, so it seems. My mind usually ends up shutting down and I lock myself in my dungeon of a shop for days at a time."  Realizing that her statement was, well, a bit of a downer, she shook her head and tried to laugh it off. "Now here I go being the downer." 

If Jevi was killing the mood with talk of her depressive episodes, Oscar's presentation of two, foiled sandwiches that smelled orgasmic, for lack of a better term, definitely cleared the air of that nonsense. Before Oscar even described what awaited them within the shiny metal packaging, Jevi felt herself salivating. Even then, Jevi could recognize the smell of the American delicacy that was a cheese steak. "Ohh my God" her voice almost a purr, "I can't tell you the last time I had a good Philly cheesesteak. We absolutely cannot let those wait." 

Taking a quick look around from where they stood, the brunette noticed a path leading off from the main road, down a sort hill to a bench that sat overlooking the water. "Why don't we sit down and eat those first." 

[Oscar 0]

"Fantastic choice," Oscar said as he handed off one of the sandwiches. Deftly maneuvering the conversation away from the heavy stuff, he led the way down to the bench and took a seat. Ever the gentleman - or at least someone with a modicum of common courtesy - he politely waited for Jevi to join him before he began to unwrap the monstrosity that he had created. Oscar like to make his dishes as true to form as possible within the bounds of the game. A sandwich like this defied the laws of physics and portion size. A bun - no matter how well it was made and toasted - simply would not be able to hold the volume of meat, cheese, and veggies that he had crammed into it. Of course, this was no different than turning a literal pile of diamonds into a feast that provided a Mitigation buff so perhaps he didn't stay as close to reality as he thought. Regardless, the moment he took his first bite, the juices started flowing. Quick as a flash, he produced a napkin from his pocket and elegantly dabbed away the rendered fat from the corners of his mouth. Another feat that should not have been possible was eating this sandwich without wearing half of it. That was more a matter of skill than any system preventing the accidental implosion of his culinary magnum opus. If ever there had been an elegant method of eating a Philly Cheesesteak, Oscar had discovered and mastered it.

As one does when experiencing good food, Oscar was silent throughout the meal. Pulling oneself away from eating for conversation was indicative of a poorly-crafted dish. He polished off the sandwich in short order, balling up the foil and tossing it away. The item shattered like glass upon the ground as he went into his inventory and produced two glass bottles with a red striped label. He offered one to Jevi with a slight grin? "Coke? It's about as close as I can get without an alchemist's skillset." He popped the lid from his own bottle and took a swig. It was good, but it was still off. He made a mental note to bug Warren and moved on - there was nothing to be done.

"So," he began. "Where are you from? I know talking about real life is considered bad form, but the game is just ones and zeroes. Being as this is still technically a date, date questions would be on the table no?"

[Jevi 0]

The two players followed a smaller path that traveled down a handful of stairs and opened up onto another walkway that traced the shoreline. There was no sandy beach on this part of the island, but that just added to the tranquility of this spot. The bench Jevi had spotted was unoccupied, offering a scenic view of the blue ocean water before them. The reflection of the sun refracted as the water softly bobbed up and down. The scattered image caused the water to glisten, and almost appear white directly under the sun's gaze. 

Jevi smiled as she took one of the foiled sandwiches from Oscar, the heat the meal had managed to pertain warmed the woman's hands. She was glad that their digital pockets were able to keep food from getting cold. Like a child on Christmas morning, the brunette went to work unwrapping the gift that had been placed into her lap, the power of the aroma doubling as it basked in its full glory. She was hardly able to hesitate immediately digging into the sandwich, however she unconsciously allowed Oscar to take the first bite. Were it courtesy, or caution, she manipulated the bun within her hands as she watched her companion consume the sandwich. After that, it was fair game. Her teeth sank into the toasted bread, and then the meat and cheese following shortly after. "Mmmm" was all she managed to get out as she chewed her first bite, "It tastes even better than it smells." 

Finishing her meal without wearing the juices as a perfume or the cheese as lipstick was definitely challenging. There was definitely at least one time she turned to smile in appreciation to Oscar while sporting a splash of gooey yellow on the corner of her mouth. In the end, however, she managed to avoid getting it on her shirt and dropping any on the ground. Definitely a big win in her book. "I don't think I've ever had a better tasting meal while here." she said as she slouched slightly on the bench, allowing her head to fall back, with a hand on her very full tummy. Her eyes shifted over to Oscar as he procured two glass bottles of cola from his inventory. Jevi sat upright again and took the drink with a soft smile on her face. He called it coke, but it tasted a bit more like the knockoff brands. Not that they were bad, just slightly different. 

The questions finally started coming out, the first one being Jevi's home in the real world. For a very short moment, she pondered on keeping that information to herself. Online games were always full of predators under the guise of innocent players. But... SAO was different, she was looking at Oscar's real face, and he would be stuck here just as long as she was. "I'm from the United States. New York, actually." She was pretty sure that was the first time she had revealed that to anyone.. maybe Grave, or Ruby, but she couldn't remember. "How about you?"

[Oscar 0]

Oscar found himself surprised that half of Jevi's sandwich hadn't wound up shattered on the floor. Maybe it was the first date jitters that gave her a startling mastery over one of Oscar's messier concoctions. He'd been known to surprise himself on such occasions. An impressive accomplishment regardless. He took a beat to look out over the waters. Opportunities to relax were few and far between. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't feeling the consequences of his actions. Who could have possibly foreseen that pushing away his closest friends and allies would result in not having any friends and allies for companionship? Certainly not Oscar.

"Grandmaster Cook," Oscar said. "I cannot understate the sheer level of farming I had to do to get there. I should tell you about the Spider Council at some point."

Oscar chuckled to himself. More of an inside joke than anything. He was pretty sure he had either been losing his everloving mind or running into some vestiges of Sundered Spire out in the wild. Still, spider pockets made for a fun story. Or, it would, if it didn't come off as the ravings of a crazed lunatic suffering from NerveGear-related psychosis. Still, there was only so many spiders a man could kill in virtual reality before it starts leaving its mark.

"You might be the fourth person I've met from the States. I'm from Boston," Oscar said. The coincidences continued to stack up. A girl recovering from a break up who lived a stone's throw from him. If they weren't stuck in the game, that might have made for an interesting meet-cute. "That's wild, Jevi. How certain are we that these match-ups were completely random?"

Edited July 4, 2023 by Oscar

[Jevi 0]

So not just a chef, but a Grandmaster chef. His experience and the time he put into perfecting his craft was definitely reflected in the taste of this sandwich. Just knowing that made her want to savor every bite even more. "Spider council?" she would comment, her voice a bit muffled by the food still lingering in her mouth, which she would swallow down shortly after. "That definitely sounds more like a story to be told, than an experience to be had. I am curious, though, what a bunch of spiders have to do with you becoming a top tier cook."  she would say with a small laugh before placing the cheesesteak, within the wrapper, on her lap for a moment. Best not to rush through it, she was enjoying the taste too much.. and probably wasn't the most attractive thing to watch. "I can only imagine how much you had to go through to level up your profession like that. I've taken on being a blacksmith here almost since the beginning.. and I think I've barely made it past the second rank.. Even though I'd spend most of my time in my shop. Grinding levels is just a bit tough for me" Jevi would admit with a shrug of her shoulders. "Though, maybe I'll get back into it.. but there's a lot of competition, not like I'll make much Col off of it in the end." 

Locks of brown hair cascaded over her shoulder as she turned her head to look at Oscar suddenly, once he revealed that he was not only from the same country, but possibly within a reasonable distance. "Get out, for real?" she'd say with a shocked chuckle. "Both being from the states is one thing, but both East Coasters? Pretty big coincidence." she would sit back with her back against the rear of the bench, crossing one leg over the other. "Who knows, maybe they 'randomized' these matches based on location.. Would probably hold more merit if, you know, we were actually close to getting back to our real bodies." Running a finger through her hair to tuck it behind an ear, she would let out a slight sigh while sharing a gaze at the water before them. "But.. on the other hand.. its comforting knowing that, if - when, we make it out, I'll at least have someone close by who shared my experience."

Maybe this whole 'blind date' thing wasn't so bad after all.