Chapter 11 - Spar Accepted

Gamer Vocabulary:

Alt: alternate character Brian got up from the computer feeling stiff, he hadn’t realized he had been in front of the computer for hours. He also hadn’t realized that Maggie didn’t come back. He looked at the time and grew a little worried. Brian opened the door and walked down the hall slowly and cautiously, towards the sound of possibly the television, but he hadn’t forgotten why they were there and he couldn’t allow himself to just assume it was the TV.

He sighed quietly seeing it was just the television and that Maggie was asleep on the sofa. He smiled just a little as he looked at her. Brian never meant to kiss her earlier. He wanted to only push her buttons a little but before he realized it, he’d kissed her. It didn’t help that it was a nice kiss too and damn it if he didn’t want to kiss her again! That little outburst about it not being her first kiss didn’t help at all; in fact he found it made things only worse.

It was strange how her oddities no longer seemed so weird anymore but endearing. This wasn’t necessarily a good thing, she was the witness and he was the lead detective in most of the cases that Chase was involved. Brian couldn’t have feelings for her, it’d give that blood sucking lawyer of Chase’s the perfect opportunity to discredit him and Maggie. He just couldn’t allow that to happen, nothing was more important than getting that scumbag behind bars.

With a sense of determination, he bent down and picked her up being careful not to wake her. She mumbled something about paladins and rogues but remained asleep. He laughed inwardly with a slight shake of his head as he took her to her room. Brian laid her down on the bed and covered her up with the blanket. Brian couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his face as he pushed her hair out of her face.

He couldn’t have feelings for her. It would be disastrous to the case. She was right they were so different; he always stood out since he could remember while she spent her life anonymously. The women he had always gone out with were all beautiful, outgoing, and bold. Maggie wasn’t ugly, but she didn’t have the perfect hourglass figure either. She was reserved and shied away from anything out of her comfort zone.

But here he was, watching her sleep with an eagerness for tomorrow when she’d wake up and he’d have a whole other day to be around her. He was impatient to hear the next thing that she’d say because he knew it would be something totally unexpected. Brian never knew how she’d react to anything at all and it kept him on his toes. Maggie wasn’t like any of the women he had gone for in his past. She was unique, determined, and feisty.

As much as it was a bad idea Brian liked it more than any woman with the perfect figure, outgoing personality, and boldness that didn’t ever extend outside of what made her little cookie cutter world. He tucked the stray strands of her hair behind her ear. Yep Brian, you’ve totally gone stereotypical and fallen for the witness, he told himself then before he could stop himself he gave the sleeping Maggie a chaste kiss on her lips.

The smile that seemed to be stuck on his face grew when a small smile suddenly came across Maggie’s face. Brian finally forced himself to stand up and leave the room. He needed to get some sleep, their situation was still dangerous and if somehow Chase found out where they were he needed to be well rested and on guard.

Brian groaned when he woke up the next day, he felt as if he had slept a hundred years. He sat up and looked at his watch; it was nearly eleven in the morning. He got up stiffly to take a shower and get something to eat. He could hear Maggie’s muffled conversation through her door and he realized she must already be gaming already. That persistent smile came across his face again as he entered the kitchen grabbing a muffin and pouring a glass of milk.

Once he finished eating, he knocked on Maggie’s door and opened it when he heard her tell him to come in. “How’s it going this morning?” he asked.

“You mean what’s left of it?” she asked with a light reproachful expression.

“Hey at least it’s still morning,” he shot back. “Like you never had been up late raiding Miss Pot calling the kettle black.”

“Touché,” she replied with a shrug.

“So how are things?” he asked her receiving another shrug.

“Well besides you infecting my guild with whatever it is you have, Things are going good,” Maggie told him then started to go on about items and quests that he really didn’t understand at all.

“What do you mean I infected your guild?” he asked when she paused to take a breath.

Maggie huffed with an eye roll. “The guild leader Bravura wants to recruit you into the guild thanks to LadyLove singing your praises. Everyone seems to agree except TooKool. Odd that he’d be the only one with reason.”

“Ouch, you don’t want me around?” he asked with a feigned expression of hurt. He’d almost swear that she was jealous.

“We’re a raiding guild, it’s not a place for noobs like you,” she said in a blunt tone.

“Well thanks to LadyLove’s help, I don’t think I’m such a noob anymore,” he argued.

Maggie rolled her eyes at him. “Whatever, you’re a noob and I don’t see how they don’t see you’re going to totally get pwned,” she stated.

“You’re just jealous,” he teased.

She looked at him with an expression of shock. “I-I’m not,” she shot back.

It was too late, Brian had seen it. Maggie was indeed jealous and his smile grew. He couldn’t help himself. He liked it. “Yes, you are jealous that they want me in the guild even though I’m still a bit of a noob. It is indisputable proof that I am a better gamer than you, Maggie and that you can’t stand the thought of,” he teased. Though Brian hoped her jealousy came from the constant flirting from his fellow warrior, LadyLove.

Maggie started to laugh loudly then gave him a challenging look. “You, Tank are not ever going to be a better gamer than me! I could kick your warrior’s butt before he had a chance to cry and I’m just a healer,” she told him defiantly.

He smiled seeing her confident side that came out once and awhile, it was no surprise to him that this side he liked as well. “So you say but all I see is one jealous healer who has yet to back up her words with her spells,” he replied and realized how much of a geek he sounded saying that.

“That’s it, Mister,” Maggie told him with a frown on her face. “I give you three days to level, get the best armor you can, and get your own computer then we’ll find out who is the better gamer Tank!”

“Alright it’s a deal but what do you get if you somehow manage to beat my perfect fighting technique,” he shot back with his own challenging tone.

She scoffed at him with another eye roll. “Well I will obviously win so I want you to publically admit and bow down to my awesome gaming skills to the guild and the whole gaming server,” Maggie told him with a smug expression.

“Okay if I win you have to publically admit to the guild and gaming server that I’m an awesome warrior, better gamer and that I’m the hottest tank you’ve ever seen,” he told her knowing she’d really hate that last part.

As if on cue she scrunched up her face in disgust at that part. “You’re such a guy,” she said with another eye roll. “I don’t think there is enough space in here for you, me and your ego,” she added then he gave her an expectant and impatient look. “Alright, alright I accept. If you somehow manage to defeat me then I’ll do it but you won’t be able to beat me Tank.”

“I don’t think it’s my ego that’s taking up all the space in this room,” he teased.

Maggie gawked at him. She started to say something then stopped herself then closed her mouth to open it again to start to say something then closed it again. She huffed and turned to face the computer with her chin lifted.

“Well, I guess I’ll go to town to get that computer so I can start grinding for our little duel in three days,” Brian told her with a small smile.

It took three hours to get everything set up, the game downloaded, installed, and updated but he was now in the game. Bravura invited him into the guild and Brian happily told them about his little bet with Maggie a.k.a. Styrene.

“That’s freaking awesome,” LadyLove jumped in. “I’ll help you level, not only because you are hot,” she said then sent a ;) through the chat box. “But because I just want to see the ever holy Styrene send a shout out that you’re the hottest tank she’s ever seen! It’ll be epic.”

“Gee thanks for the support really,” Maggie said, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“I actually think some friendly competition will be good for The Crusaders,” Bravura said.

“I’ll help you Tank, show em that you don’t have to have played a thousand hours to be a good player,” MageDude offered.

“What the hell guys,” Maggie complained. “I’ve been your guildie for nearly two years and this is how you repay me. Isn’t anyone rooting for me?” she demanded.

“I’m rooting for you Styrene,” TooKool jumped in. “Let’s show these noobs what it means to be a real player,” he stated with an arrogant tone that irritated Tank more than ever.

“Thank you TooKool! Who says you can’t count on rogues,” Maggie told him sweetly that made Brian’s own jealousy wake up.

“You know I got your back,” TooKool told her. “Anytime, anywhere, and as many times as you need it,” he added with impish tone.

“Okay, I’m going to ignore the clear innuendo and just thank you for the support,” Maggie replied, causing Brain’s jealousy to calm down.

With MageDude, Bravura, and LadyLove’s help Brian was gaining levels easily. LadyLove and Bravura explained to him the game mechanics of being a warrior. Apparently most people assumed being a warrior was being the first to run into a zone, start hitting everything till it falls down and dies and that’s it.

However using his own basic training and some SWAT training he received he knew being the first man in didn’t mean causing such a mess and surprisingly applying his training to the game was working very well. LadyLove was showering him with compliments at his gameplay to the point Brian decided to try to help MageDude. MageDude looked like the typical rookie, very eager but had no idea what he was doing but made his decisions based on impressions he got from TV.

Comparing the role of a mage with reinforcement officers or snipers, Brian suggested some tactics for the other player to use which seemed to please Bravura immensely. After a few hours, LadyLove got her “alt” healer and the three were doing small raids. It was odd the sense of achievement Brian got when they defeated a big fat Troll Warlord.

“Man Tank you’re awesome, I can totally pwn everything now,” MageDude cheered.

“Yeah he like totally doesn’t suck now,” LadyLove added. “You’ve got the golden touch Tank,” she said putting another ;) in the guild chat box.

“What can I say, when you skills, you got skills,” he gloated back.

“I congratulate you on your above and beyond performance today, I see I was correct in extending an invite out to you,” Bravura said with a haughty tone that made him sound more like a military general than some online game guild leader.

“I swear if you two keep kissing each other’s asses I won’t know where one ends and the other begins,” TooKool demanded.

“Ugh, I agree! I think I’m going to get sick,” Maggie joined in.

“Language TooKool! Must I remind you that it’s in our code of conduct that I shall not show favoritism and the fact you’re suggesting such a thing is a grave accusation,” Bravura demanded.

“See that Tank, that’s the result of intense jealousy,” LadyLove replied.

“I am not jealous,” Maggie shot back.

“Oh, I know L.L.” Tank told the other warrior. “And Ma-Styrene I think you’re simply in denial,” he teased earning cheers from his side and jeers from Maggie and TooKool.

“We’ll see in three days,” she replied tartly.