Emma had never exactly been a fan of losing, particularly when there were teammates in the equation, so when the relief that the game was over in under half an hour washed over her, it was quickly followed by guilt.

She didn’t think that there was a whole lot she could have done, but still…

“Alright team, bring it in for a post-game,” Doug said, pulling her out of that thought process.

Quince laughed. “Oh, bring it in? I see. You know, it’s probably best to go over the real basics. You know, not inting, using team voice, coming up with a semi-coherent game plan?”

Doug glared, the smile he’d plastered on falling away to match his eyes. “Like you would know. You threw the game.”

Quince shrugged. “Nah. The game was lost anyways, I just sped it up on the one shot we had. Nobody followed up, so it ended up being a one for one, but it could’ve been a lot worse.”

Doug smirked. “Yeah, nobody followed up because you didn’t say anything. Like you hadn’t all game.”

“Wait,” Quince barked out another laugh, “You had me muted all game? No fucking wonder nobody responded to me. Goddamn.” His shaking head and amused grin seemed to draw her in, and a look around showed her a similar response from some of her other teammates.

Doug, though, just looked pissed off. He’d balled one of his hands into a fist behind his back, in a way that she could see but Quince couldn’t. “I mute people when they’re damaging to the team dynamic.”

“No. You mute people when they’re damaging to your fucking cult-leader control. That or kick them out. Which we’re getting around to, ‘cause I quit. No pro slot wis worth your manipulative bullshit hanging over everything.” He waved his hand dismissively, turning around the loose circle that the team had formed while Emma’s mind worked overdrive on that statement.

Doug had muted Quince?

It had been weird how quiet he’d been, but she’d thought that that was just a matter of taking the other teammates’ lead. It wasn’t as though they’d been talking, and while that was fairly normal for her it was pretty strange for the rest of them.

Then again, it wasn’t exactly well hidden; Quince usually was extremely communicative, asking about the other enemy ability sets even well into the early game. And while that in particular didn’t apply in this environment when they weren’t bringing anything new, it still stood out that he hadn’t asked a single question.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Does anyone want to join me?”

Oh, no.

Oh no.

He was looking at her.

She wasn’t done thinking, even barely paying attention as she had been.

Should she say yes?

Probably, right? Doug had been kind of a jerk to him, and she liked him well enough. But she’d been on this team for a while, and she… Well, she didn’t really like them but she respected most of them.

Even then, though, the way Doug had muted Quince… What we he trying to do? Drive a further wedge? It was obvious that he was going to leave soon anyways, so what was the point? To make him seem like a worse person all of a sudden, right at the end? Why bother? It’s wasn’t like–

Doug’s smile at her curdled her stomach. “Oh, I’m sorry? Did you think any of my teammates would betray me? Ha! Emma is my girlfriend, fucker.”

“Excuse me?”

She’d blurted that without thinking, but she was having difficulty processing it even with the silence that followed.

Doug still hadn’t turned away from her. He was still smiling. And that feeling was getting worse.

“I said you’re my friend, obviously.”

“No you didn’t.”

He adopted a concerned look, and that gross feeling twined with nervousness. “Yes it is? Why would I say anything else?”

“You know, there are other people in the room,” Quince growled. “And you fucking said girlfriend.”

That nervousness started taking over, but it brought that feeling with it, twisting the way the words came out. “You lie, then. Just like you did before, just like with Jess.”

“What? No. She left because she wasn’t a good fit, because she was breaking up the team dynamic.”

“But…”

“Emma, would you really trust this guy who’s obviously trying to break up the team, or yourself, over me? He’s obviously malicious, and you… Well, you’re distracted a lot….”

“No, fuck, I can’t be here for this. Goddamn, get your gaslighting certification somewhere.” Quince started stalking out.

“You leave and nobody here ever talks to you again.” Doug said, sounding calm.

Quince froze, then began turning slowly back to him. They stared at each other for a moment, where neither one of them spoke. “Quite frankly, Doug, that’s not your call, and the fact that you think you can control or manipulate everyone here into agreeing with it is insane.”

Doug laughed, the sound grating on her ears. “Every time I’ve told them to before, they’ve done it! What, you think they’ll stop now? For you?”

“I’ve been talking to Jessica,” Emma whispered.

Doug rounded on her. “What was that? Nobody can hear you when you talk that quietly. It’s why people never pay attention–”

“I’ve been talking to Jessica!” This time, yelled. “And you can’t stop me! I shouldn’t have let you stop me in the first place! You, Quince, that girl yesterday… All of you keep trying to get me to do something or other, and I don’t even know what until you all fucking run into each other!

“You know I don’t even like guys, let alone you, and you called me your girlfriend? And I would have believed you, that you hadn’t, too, if he hadn’t been there! Seriously, Doug, how long did you think you’d get away with that?”

She looked around at the other people in the room. Jacob, Jonah, and Greg looked shocked.

Doug had a slowly growing anger, and he was opening his mouth to respond, but not making any nose yet.

Quince was smiling like the cat that caught the canary.

All of a sudden, she didn’t even need to think about it.

She hated being in this room.

While the rest of them stood there, she spun on her heel and stalked out, nearly in a run.