flameinthedarkness

Oh... oh, no, no. Idia gets it, those nerves, he was feeling it too earlier, though they had slipped away once they had gotten into the arcade and getting to the game, but he can see it in Cater. Idia knows Cater is a better gamer than this, but how he's using the controls and the simple mistakes he's making... yeah, that screams nerves. Not that Idia points it out, content to let Cater work this out himself, yet as that first boss was due up and Idia noted the condition Cater's ship was in... it wasn't looking good. "Yeah, it is."

A moment of pause to think... before Idia shifted from the side to stand behind Cater, hands coming around to rest over Cater's on the controls, face over Cater's shoulder so he can see. "You got this." Idia's tone soft against Cater's ear as he directs Cater's movement. Not fully forcing them, slight nudges, to indicate how Cater should move the ship through the space, able to grab a few more upgrades before going into that boss fight. "The different color bullets from the boss will show you how fast they're moving. Don't worry too much burning it down, keep alive first and chip away at it."

So focused on trying not to screw up his run so fast--to somehow make a mockery of this game that means so much to Idia and from there ruining whatever this is. Not just the date but the connection they've been building, which is its own can of worms that he's been trying so hard not to think about--Cater doesn't notice Idia move behind him.

It's not until his hands are on him that he registers what's happening. He doesn't flinch or jolt, but there's a slight freeze to his body before he relaxes, letting Idia guide him. There's a distinct urge to apologize that he swallows, unable to find his voice with Idia's right in his ear, so close and gentle.

He plays the game, listening, heart beating faster and feeling warmth rising to his face. It's almost like being embraced--he can feel the lanky curve of Idia's body along his back, glow of his hair lighting up Cater's peripheral. He can feel the tickle of his breath against his skin...

Yeah, he's barely thinking about Star Rogue at all right now. His eyes are glued forward to the screen, fingers responding to each gentle twitch of the one's over his, but as he progresses forward, Cater hardly registers the boss' life bar depleting.

"See? Got it." Well done Cater. Ok, so he helped... but hey, it wasn't really cheating. It was helping. He hopes. Cater didn't seem to complain about it, so all good, right? Idia stepping back with a grin, oblivious to Cater's situation. "You're on your own for the next round though."

When Idia steps back to his original spot, it's like a spell has been broken. Thank goodness there's a brief pause between levels so Cater can get his jitters out. A little too awkwardly, he barks out a laugh. "Ha! Haha! Y-Yeah! Right! Noooo problem!"

He's completely flustered, full of nervous energy, but at least he's not overthinking the game anymore. Normal behavior, probably? Just excited that he's on the next level? Cater performs much better this time, now focused on using the game to distract himself from how worked up he'd made himself.

Compared to unpacking what just happened? Level two is easy.

See? Much better! Maybe it was that first level nerves. Idia gets it, he was worried he would screw up too, especially with his gaming reputation Cater is expecting from him, but getting Cater to play first helped out. A lot. This felt... good. Like them gaming together online but... with a different type of connection to it.

Idia points out a few more tips as Cater goes along, as well as a few hidden areas to sneak into for special power ups or story bits, but it all comes to an end eventually as Cater's last ship goes down. Still, "GG, well done. You got your pace as you went along."

Guess it's his turn, and, well... he should show off a little, right? Idia feeling more confident as the game had played out for Cater, he moving to take place in front of the game instead and back to the start menu but... "Oh, the arcade version doesn't have Meteor mode unlocked right away." No problem, Idia's fingers flicking over those buttons and joystick this way and that and a moment later... the debug option pops up on the screen, he heading down to that and, "There we go." Starting up the game via that.

Ok, it's a little different, Idia flicking his ship around here and there to get the feel of the controls. It was different to the handheld controller he was used to playing Star Rogue with, though the response is good still, it would take him a few moments to get it but... yeah, this feels ok to him. He can do this. The game once it picks up is slightly different to Cater's run... in the case that there's ten times the amount of bullets on screen, Idia having put it into full bullet hell mode.

Even though Cater definitely calms down and hits a nice stride after a bit--getting hyped from Idia's commentary and the rush that comes with getting past difficult spots--he's ultimately a little relieved when his run ends and Idia takes over. He's a bit more comfortable on the sidelines, and besides: now he gets to see the pro at work.

Blink and you miss it, though, as he's finding out--he practically didn't even notice how Idia changed the settings. Then the gameplay actually begins, and all thoughts that Cater might've had about trying not to put too much pressure on his date to give some kind of impressive display? Totally out the window.

"W-Whoa!" How can he keep up with all of that?! His eyes are wide, darting over the screen and feeling stressed as all get out, and Idia flies the ship through it all like it's a breeze. "T-This is the first level on Meteor?!"

"Yeah, plus in Meteor Mode you only got one life. Once you're hit it's game over." When Idia answers it's clear by his tone he's focused, it's the tone of someone concentrating on what they're doing. "I'd be better if it was on a handheld controller, not used to the arcade set up. Getting the feel of it still." Not that most could tell watching this...

"No way..."

One hit? Boom, done? Idia really wasn't kidding--how many times has he played this game?! He's coasting through it like it's nothing! He can't even fully process all of the bullets flying around--even if he had a game mastered, he doubts he could pull off the reflexes necessary to play like this.

"If this is you getting used to it, I definitely gotta see how you do the console version!"

Idia actually glances away from the screen as Cater says that, seeming to snap out of his concentration long enough to process Cater's reaction... his hands moving the entire time to keep himself safe. And smiles a little. "I can do it holding the controller upside down. I've been tempted to try a blindfold run of it, but not got around to that yet." Then back to the screen, confident he was fine, but still, to blow it now after all that talk would be so shameful.

"I donno, you never had one thing you loved so much you just repeated it over and over again? Like a song you know back to front or could tell it from only a few notes?"

"Seriously?! How would that even work? Would you just focus on the sound cues? Muscle memory?" The screen is so busy with lights and colors that he finds himself looking instead at Idia's hands. He watches the way they fly across the buttons, manipulate the joystick...and he definitely starts to think certain thoughts about what he could do with those hands and long objects...

...when Idia asks his question. He blanks out, realizing that no, he's never had anything like that before. Nothing at all comes to mind. Sure, he's memorized things before, but not really for any kind of attachment. Performances take practice, and Cater's almost always putting on some kind of performance.

But it's a good thing he's learned to smile through those kind of intrusive thoughts. Means that the good energy can keep going.

"When you put it that way, I think I get it!" We all have those things, he hopes to imply without outright lying. "I can see how much you love this game, even now!"

Maybe one day Cater will feel at ease to answer stuff like that honestly. Because Idia wouldn't judge him on it. Different people, different paths. It's fine. And maybe he was a bit more obsessed about this game than most would, but it's just so very special to him... to them...

And maybe later Idia would note that Cater didn't really answer him, that he deflected it... but right now, nope, it passes him by. "Pretty much, yeah. The different bullets have slightly different sounds when they fire, and the enemies all follow a set path, so yeah, muscle memory of how to move around them. But even still, the issue is I would have to fully rework how I would play this. I would need to use the edges of the game to reset myself, but this game doesn't have sound cues linked up to that happening, unlike some other blindfold games I've seen played which rely on the sound when the player character hits a wall or something. Not sure it's even possible, but could be fun," Then a chuckle. "And really fucking frustrating to try."

Whew! Idia keeps talking and Cater relaxes again, smile widening as the passion he has for the topic gets to him, too. "Ha! I'd love to see how neon your hair turns when you're that fired up. When you do your first blind run attempt, count me in!"

Yes, he totally just invited himself to the very theoretical event. Even if it means breaking into Ignihyde, Cater's absolutely about seeing Idia work himself up over something like this in real time.

"Though, it does lack the distinct appeal of watching you work a joystick."

Idia lets out a laugh at that, it resulting in him closing his eyes to do so, then quickly snapping them back open once he realizes, an 'oh fuck!' going along with it as he quickly corrects his error. "OMFG! You almost killed me with that!" Yet still grinning away despite the complaint. "STFU! No way after that!" He totally would let Cater join in. Even if he would 100% be a distraction during it.

Then spluttering over the next bit, Idia's shock jerking the ship nearly into an enemy before Idia slams the joystick back the other way. "WTF?! You really trying to get me killed! WTF was that?!" Tone and expression half way between amusement and shocked surprised, so caught off guard by that. But unable to stop himself chuckling away afterwards, body shaking with humor as he really tries to stay focused on the game, but was quickly losing his normal pace at it.

Just like his smile, Idia's laughter catches and Cater can't help joining in. It's a different kind of happiness than what he saw at the café, but it's just as appealing. A spontaneous giggle fit that puts you into stitches. "It's your first prototype run! Consider me your makeshift blindfold!"

Yeah, he is a total distraction and he won't apologize for it. Not that he is trying to get Idia killed...but seeing him laugh like that is definitely even more entrancing than the gameplay.

And it was working, stuff that Idia would normally have no issue dodging or dealing with... gets him. A bullet that he normally would be able to dodge taking his one life as the game flashes 'GAME OVER' a moment later. Idia dropping his head as his hands moved to the edges of the cabinet at the defeat, almost as if he's upset by this all...

Before lifting his head just enough to try and glare at Cater... but failing since he's fighting a need to smile as well. "You fucking asshole." Those words shaking with laughter he was forcing down, trying to act angry at what just happened. He actually lost. Idia can't remember the last time he lost at this game.

"Ahhhh." Idia pushing himself back off the sides of the cabinet, tilting head back a moment to let out a sigh of a breath as he ran a hand through his hair, pushing his hoodie back in the process to do so. "Ah well. Guess I failed." Hmmm, he moving to the controls again to undo what he had done, hiding the debug menu again. "So no one can find it." Don't want someone to come along and break the game.

"Guess you got further on it than I did."

Cater can't stop laughing as Idia curses him out--it's clear there's absolutely no malice behind it, after all. And when his hood comes back, he feels even happier, glad that Idia's getting so in the zone. "Just cause I had an amazing backseat gamer."

Without further pause, he's reaching for Idia's hands to pull him to the next machine. "Hey, how about a racing game? That way we can both play!"

There's a big game where they both control a wheel and pedals to emulate steering a real magical racing wheel against one another on an obstacle course. It's always pretty popular, but it's empty right now and Cater hurries to snag it for the two of them.

"Shame I didn't." One more jab at Cater before letting it go, calming back down and showing curiosity towards that suggestion, not even seeming to question taking that hand, as if it's natural to do so. Maybe still caught up in all which had happened, easily moving along with Cater. "Yeah? Haven't done too many proper driving games, don't have the set up for it." Because of course if Idia was going to he would have the full kit to go along with those type of games.

"They got those shooting co-op ones too, right? Ones that use a prop gun to do so?" Idia had also seen those before, and also never tried them, but they could be a team on that, right?

"Yeah! Like, shooting through zombie hoards and stuff! There's a couple different ones! Let's find one of those next!" For now, he slides into one of the two seats and inserts the necessary tokens for two players, selecting a cutesy cartoon driver from the choices. "Random racetrack sounds fair."

It's an even playing field for this one. Cater knows wheels, at least skateboarding wheels, but Idia's got those godly gamer hands. Either way, with a handful of CPU opponents, it'll be fun regardless.

"O-Ok." Yeah, that sounds like fun, but right now sliding into that seat and looking over the controls that were in front of him, picking his own character and nodding away at Cater's choice. "Yeah, I think so."

This was totally new for him. Well, a lot of today was totally new to Idia, but it's not a game he's played and feels real different from similar games on a console, those pedals to begin with. But he's both curious and keen to learn and see how it goes. Which at first... isn't great, so used to more cartoonish racing games or kart games which have extra powers and stuff on top, so he's a little slow off the mark with the start of the race, getting the feel of those pedals, the right breaking to acceleration contrast for turns, and how sensitive, or not, the wheel was. Yeah, it's a well played machine, feeling it's age a little as Idia huffs about lack of response a few times, but he's picking it up and compensating for where the game is lacking. By lap two he's really getting the feel of it.

This one, for Cater, feels much more playful. He whoops and cheers as they zoom around turns and over ramps, laughing as the two of them take turns passing one another. "I'm hot on your ass," he exclaims menacingly as they pass into the third and final lap. "Watch out, watch out!"

Ultimately, though, Idia's ability to compensate for the machine's responsiveness gives him an overall edge, and Cater spins out too much to take the lead. "Aw man," he whines as he comes in second, still smiling as he falls back in the seat, feigning being a sore loser. "You're the raceway king."

"OMG STFU." What's that gamer talk, Cater?! What the hell was that? But it helps to break Idia out of concentrating too much, of being too focused on working this all out. It's not that he's try-harding this all, it's more it's a puzzle his brain wants to solve; how it worked, best way to play, how to get best results. So Cater there helps to remind him it's a game. It's fun. That's what's important.

And as he finishes ahead Idia smiles broadly... before it starts to falter, hesitant as his fingers drum over the steering wheel as the game takes them through a final lap cut scene of their drivers still driving and the results come up. "Um... this is, ah... still fun, ah, for you, right?" Was he winning too much? True, he didn't win at Star Rogue, but still, Idia had been showing off a little with that. Then this. He's... worried Cater might not like it. See him as being too competitive. Idia's really not, he's really trying not to be.

"Hm?"

The question throws him off, but as he turns in his seat to face Idia properly, he's still all smiles. His eyes soften a little as he leans against the steering wheel, cheek resting against his arm. "Are you kidding me? I'm having a blast!"

Fortunately, he's never had much of a competitive streak and as such he's never been much of a sore loser, either. Just being here and playing these games...

"I can't remember the last time I really smiled like this."

Oh... oh. Oh. Good. Good, that smile returning a little more to Idia's face. "M-Me either..." Then deciding it's worth voicing those thoughts. "I just... didn't wanna ruin the fun... if I win too much... that's all..." But... Cater seemed to get that? It feels like it at least. And... yeah, Idia is really having a great time.

In fact, "I'm having a lot of fun... thanks."

Idia looks so nice when he smiles.

Cater feels his face flushing a little again, bashfulness seeping in. "As long as you're having a good time, you're not going to ruin a thing for me."

He pauses, just finding himself looking at his classmate, his friend--no, his date, before clearing his throat, jumping out of the game station. "So! Shooting game?"

He doesn't take Idia's hand directly this time, just offering his forward to give him the choice.

"Way to put pressure on me then." Idia fires back... but that smile still in place to show it's meant as a joke.

Getting off that game, Idia glances down as the motion of that hand movement catches his attention. Oh yeah, they, ah... they really have been doing this all day, haven't they? A moment of nerves spiking up again in him, before reminding himself he had liked it so... reaching out for that hand of Cater's once more. "Yeah, yeah, that."

...ehh, considering he's just raised this concern... should he... hnnng... "Ah... about the, ah... DDR later on, um... I... kinda done that in the past too..." Idia knows Cater said he was going to show off on that, and with what Idia had just asked, yeah, he's worried that might be something Cater wants as a 'his' thing, not something Idia can do. "Well, I mean, I'm good for like one song, then ready to sit down." Glancing away off to the side as he admits this all.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject