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English
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Published:
2025-06-24
Updated:
2025-08-07
Words:
6,339
Chapters:
4/?
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toxichero again

Chapter 3: lol dont we all just hate griefer

Summary:

i promise im going to lock in on these titles one day! youll see they gonna be so fire itll make you bust on the spot

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

I didn’t really sleep last night.

Just tossed and turned for hours, hunting for a spot that didn’t feel like it would kill me if I slept.

I know I’m supposed to see the Player today.

And yeah, I was excited.

But what if that wasn’t real either?

In what world would he ever want to talk to me? Maybe I should just stay home.

I sat up in bed.

The sunlight stabbed through the leaves outside the tree like it had something against me. A stinging pain flared in my neck. Everything felt stiff, like I’d crawled inside a vending machine.

I tried to stretch, but this time it just left me even more sluggish.

I stomped to the floor and padded toward my monitor. Ugh, since when did my leaves look like I slept inside a compost bin? I was a mess, I could tell even just from the glare of the computer screen.

Whatever.

It’s not like he’d ever notice.

I clicked it on to check the time.

And my heart sank.

An hour past noon.

Awesome.

I’m already late, and now I get to show up looking like swamp garbage.

I yanked on my neon green jacket. My favorite one.

Didn’t help.

I stumbled out of the big tree, tripping over at least a few stray logs on my descent. The journey through the jungle was as unforgiving as ever, but still.

I toughed it out.

I always do.

But even so, it didn’t feel like yesterday.

Or last night.

By the time I finally pushed through the last thicket and reached the edge of town, I was breathing harder than I wanted to be.

Not that it was hard or anything.

Just... whatever.

I tried to slow down, like I hadn’t just sprinted the last hill. Tried to make it look casual.

Totally normal.

Not late.

Not panicking.

The tea shop was just ahead.

I spotted them before I even hit the square.

Him.

The Player.

Standing next to Mayor Thaniyel.

Talking.

Like they were best friends. Like I didn’t even exist. Like they were discussing me.

I skidded to a halt, and ducked behind a tree like it would save me.

It’s fine. They’re just talking!

People talk.

I peered back over at the two of them.

Dad had that look on his face.

The one I never saw.

The “I’m-so-impressed-I-might-offer-you-my-entire-village” look.

He used to give it to other people, never me.

The Player said something I couldn’t hear.

Dad laughed.

And for some reason, I almost did too.

Cool.

Amazing.

I’m not jealous. I’m not mad.

I just think maybe a mutant bird should swoop in and fly me into the atmosphere.

I crouched lower behind the tree. Not because I was hiding.

Just... assessing.

Tactical retreat. Strategic observation. Classic adventurer move.

I could leave right now. Pretend I got sick. Fell in a puddle. Forgot what day we were supposed to meet, even though he told me just yesterday.

Literally anything sounded better than walking over there and joining whatever perfect little conversation they were having.

But then I saw Dad nod.

The kind of nod he saves for speeches and negotiations.

And he said something.

I couldn’t hear what.

But I could see it.

He was proud.

Of him.

So I stood up. Straightened my jacket.

And marched across the square like I hadn’t just been hiding behind a tree like a total weirdo.

“H3Y!”

Louder than I meant to.

The Player turned first. Dad followed a second later, that mayor-glow still stuck on his face.

Why were they looking at me like that? Were they upset? Upset with me?

I was this close to saying something dumb when the Player cut me off.

”You made it.” He said, and whatever smile he had on before was already gone.

”Y34H… I D1D.” I let out a soft chuckle, like it was funny.

Nobody laughed.

”Oh, well, I should really get going. You two be careful out there!” Dad warned, slipping away.

Then, he stopped in his tracks. Whipped around with a grin.

”Though, I’m sure you’ll be alright. After all, you do have the town hero on your side!” He remarked, a hearty laugh erupting from deep inside his chest.

He wiped a tear from his eye and shuffled off, still laughing like he’d just told the joke of the year.

Silence.

I stared at the ground like it would tell me what to say.

Then, because my brain hates me, I spoke.

”Y0…” I started, unable to stop myself from continuing. It was like just being around him made me lose my cool.

I hated it.

”TH1S Y0UR FIR5T T1M3…?” I asked, immediately regretting it. He literally just told me that it’s his fourth “mission” or whatever.

He looked at me, confused, then responded.

“No, this’ll be my fourth.”

Right.

He seemed to be uncomfortable, or just thinking. I can never tell with him.

”First with a partner, though.”

He gave me a smile. Or what an alien who just got here thinks a smile looks like.

I wanted this to feel like the dream. Wanted it to be perfect.

But instead it felt like I was being carried into battle by a robot.

He surveyed me for a moment. It felt like he was sizing me up, to see if I was even good enough to go with him. I pretended he was checking me out. Just for fun. Even though I already know better.

Ugh.

His eyes suddenly flicked up to meet mine.

“You ready?” he asked. His voice was calm. Focused.

“It’s a long day ahead… and we’ve already wasted most of it.”

I had no idea why I was getting so flustered. He just asked me a question! This sucks.

Crushes suck.

“YE4H, 1’M C00L.” I mumbled, voice shrinking. “L3T’S GO.”

He gave me a nod, like I was just some side quest.

Not a person.

Not someone he smiled at yesterday.

Just an extra in his story.

Whatever.

It didn’t stop my heart from blowing it way out of proportion anyway.

He didn’t say “come on.”

He just moved.

And like always, I followed. Because that’s what I do. Even if I’m not sure he wants me here.

I was waiting for him to say something, do something.

But he never did.

Didn’t even look back to check if I was still there.

Ugh.

He always makes me sound like such a baby.

The dried leaves crunched beneath my boots. We had barely made it out of town and I was already thinking of turning back. It’s not like he would ever even realize.

The lush green forests transformed into drier yellow plains. I’m not sure I’ve ever been this far out, and the Player showed no signs of stopping any time soon. Still, I never could read him all that well.

The journey gave me lots of time to think. How did I ever get so desperate in the first place? I was supposed to be tough. Uncaring. Cool.

So why do I forget everything when he looks at me like that?

The tall grass rustled just to the left of us.

I froze.

So did he.

No one spoke, same as before. Yet, this silence was different.

The sound came again, sharper this time. Close.

Then everything exploded all at once.

A swarm of bugs flew straight at us!

The Player jumped in front of me and blocked them from attacking me.

He was so confident in his movements, practiced like this was a piece of cake.

It was.

But…

I flinched, braced myself for an assault that never came. My crowbar clattered to the dirt path.

What an idiot.

The Player dusted himself off after the last mantis exploded into a gooey mess.

Then, without a word, he bent down and picked up my crowbar.

He held it out.

I took it.

He was already turning away, like it was nothing.

It was nothing.

I wanted to thank him, but he was already about four mantis corpses ahead of me. It would be too awkward.

I jogged up behind him, to my usual spot.

And the rest of the walk?

Was just as quiet.

Notes:

i think im doing summaries wrong but its ok we gotta keep up the mystery