Chapter 64
“You’re just trying to make my life difficult, aren’t you?” Steve said as he rubbed his chin. “Lucky for you, I’m awesome, and I’m pretty sure it will work.” He took a drink, “and if it doesn’t, well, no harm done right? It’s not like we were expecting any of this. So, it’s just a bonus if it works.”
“We should make sure Faust knows to bring a creepy white paneled van for you then.” Fel said with a chuckle. “Just in case it does work.”
“Fair,” James looked around the hot springs, “should, should we call them here?”
“Nah, not worth it.” Steve said with a shake of his head. “I’ll pass the message on to them in a different manner. No need to risk any additional things out of the ordinary,” he looked at Fel, “the only reason she’s here, is because she’s already had access to your area, and it would be counter intuitive for me to put up securities against her breaking into your special dungeon core instance.”
“In other words, I come and go as I please,” Fel stood as she spoke, “speaking of.” She looked around, “if I’m no longer needed, I’m going to spend some time with Alex. His company at least doesn’t feel like its on the constant verge of doom and gloom.” She fixed her gaze on James, “when all this is said and done, I expect an actual tour of your parent’s lab.”
“You’ll have definitely earned it, if we succeed,” James said, “so deal.”
“And there it is, doom and gloom.” She shook her head, “seriously, you’re so melodramatic.” And without another word, she snapped her fingers, and she was gone.
“And then there were three,” Steve said ominously. “Real talk though, I should get going to make sure I can get the data in the proper format and send it over to your pod. From there, I’m assuming you’ve either got a data drive prepared?”
“Dagger,” James said with a grin, “I checked, and he can handle a ridiculous amount of data. Shouldn’t be a problem transporting it, my dad confirmed as much anyways.”
“Well, if your father said it will work, then it should work. Meaning, the only reason this could mess up would be because of me,” Steve gave James a wink, “and if you haven’t noticed. I don’t make mistakes.”
“Is that why you don’t have any kids?” Rue said out of nowhere. James couldn’t help but laugh. That one came out of nowhere.
“How’d you know I don’t have any kids?” Steve asked Rue, his eyes wide.
“Lucky guess,” Rue offered, “you seem pretty married to your work. And past that,” she motioned at Steve, “you’re you. If you had actual kids, I’m pretty sure you would have burned through all your dad jokes and bad humor a long while ago.”
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“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Steve said, “it means I’m witty and fun still.”
“Uh huh,” Rue drank from her own drink, “keep telling yourself that Steve.”
“I will,” the developer said smugly, “and besides, I have Rachel and Matthew. Not to mention babysitting the two of you. No time for kids of my own.”
They all enjoyed the moment, drinking their individual drinks, procrastinating, perhaps, the moment they’d part their ways. After a few more minutes in the hot springs, Steve let out a heavy sigh, and finally stood from the warm waters.
“Really though,” he said, his tone making it completely clear he didn’t want to be saying the words, “I should get going. I’ll keep in touch as the day goes on, and if you need me, don’t hesitate to ask.”
James stood and walked over to the man, holding out a hand. Rue followed suit, and the three of them stood face to face with each other.
“Take care of yourself Steve,” James said, holding a handout to the man, “and maybe, when this is all said and done, you should consider getting some rest.”
“That obvious, eh?” Steve took James’s outstretched hand, and then pulled. James found himself embraced by the older man in a hug.
“Take care of yourself James,” Steve said softly, “and just know that no matter what happens, you’ve done your best.”
“Thanks Steve,” James said as Steve let the hug go. The developer looked at Rue and smiled, and she wrapped him in a hug as well. He whispered something in her ears, and she responded, before the two separated as well. Without looking the two of them over once more, James was pretty sure he had tears in his eyes. Even in immersion, emotions can overwhelm.
“I’ll see the two of you, before we start this in earnest,” he said, wiping a tear away before it could fall free from his eyes, “you two, try and have some fun before then, yeah? I’m sure the Knights would love to check out your seventh floor with you.”
“We may just do that,” James said, wondering, for the hundredth time, if Steve could read his mind. He’d been planning to do just that, hoping to lose himself in his dungeon for a bit longer, before their confrontation with the government began. Knowing that players were being forced into DCO early, just gave him all the more reason to do so.
“One last thing, before I go…” Steve trailed off, his words seeming to escape him.
“You’re stalling,” Rue said with a laugh, “out with it Steve. Besides, like you said, you’ll see us again soon enough. This isn’t goodbye.”
Steve laughed at her statement, shaking his head in a way to try and clear the tears from his eyes. He cleared his throat, trying to find his words. The man was really broken up. “You’re right, you’re right,” he said, trying once again, and failing, to keep his voice from cracking. “Just, well, er,” another crack, “I’m proud of you two.” He said softly, “really, I am. I know you both have your parents still, but they’re not here to see how much you two have grown, but I am. You’re right, I don’t have kids, but that doesn’t mean I never wanted them, and well,” he choked on his words for a moment, “I view the two as fondly as family, as my own. And I just wish I could do more for you two. I’m so proud of you, of who you’ve become, of what you’ve done, and what I know you two will do in the future.” He wiped his eyes, “that’s, that’s all I wanted to say.”
Without another word, Steve was gone. James and Rue stood in silence for a long moment, just staring at the spot the eccentric developer had been. Neither said anything, and James wasn’t sure if there was anything to be said. Even if there had been, he wasn’t sure he, or Rue, was prepared to speak. Instead, they stood there, holding hands, letting Steve’s words sink in. James couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong with the hot spring’s settings on his fifth floor. The humidity seemed abnormally high. Water fell freely down his face from his eyes.