Despite the consistent rain, Seattle had all four seasons. The fall and winter, as harsh as they could get, were my favorite. I found myself craving the coziness of the drizzling patter on my apartment's living room windows, and the way snow blanketed the dull greyness of Seattle's bustling streets.
But then I met someone (or really, someone who was dropped into my life) who preferred the sunlight over the rain. Sunlight. A simple phenomenon that became something in a new light (haha, get it?) that I had grown to avoid. And when it hit him a certain way, in just the right moment, like a meteor barrelling into the surface of the Earth, I felt breathless to witness beauty in a person that neither heaven nor hell could move to match.
Or at least, that's what I thought.
"Because we can't spend two weeks writing that shit, just to have to re-write for the sake of one idiot who can't make up his mind." I spat in my headset mic.
On my left computer monitor, my co-workers Jesse and Alex were laughing.
"I'm just saying, we should focus on finishing the character dialogue and barks for the scenes already being implemented. Otherwise, we just spread ourselves too thin. And fuck Allan."
Allan, our annoying-but-useful artifact generator for the game our studio was working on, often came up with brilliant ideas at the cost of wasting people's time as he narrowed down which ones were the most brilliant. Did I have a problem helping my writers generate descriptions for this 100+ items? No. But until he made up his mind as to whether he wanted sub-classes of swords of shields, I wasn't going to type a single goddamn word.
"So uh, I take it that's a no, and let's wait until next week at writer's room to confirm then?" Jesse asked, taking another bite of her blueberry ice cream.
"It's winter. Are you eating ice cream again?" Alex asked, though his tone suggested he wasn't really asking.
"Iths always ithe cream thime." Jesse managed through a mouthful. Alex laughed again.
"Right. I'm going to finish doing the introduction scenes with Yora async, so you two can focus on the fighting sequences afterward with the combat teams. They're nerds, so your work is cut out for you." I use the term 'nerds' endearingly, so don't get upset. Alex gave me a thumbs-up, and Jesse sent an emote in our chat. It was a custom one: a smiling bowl of ice cream.
"When we see Allan, we'll be done with all of that, and then we can start on the artifact writing. My favorite." Alex noted. I was glad it was Alex's favorite, as it was not mine. But then again, as the boss of an entire writing squad, the pass to delegate was unlimited.
"Excellent. Ok, I'm hopping off, see you guys soon." Ending our meeting with the familiar Google ping, I exhaled. If anyone ever tells you that the last meeting of a Friday isn't a relief, then their job is too easy.
Stretching, I took a sip of my decaf coffee, the warming bitterness hopefully fooling my brain that I had more energy than how I felt.
"Sarge? Where are you?" I called, standing up from my desk. The sound of galloping paws could be heard from his bedroom down the hallway, the panting getting closer as I reached into my pocket for treats.
Sarge wasn't like other black German shepherds, in that he was only interested in bacon-flavored treats. Sure, he liked playing, and downing kibble, but I could train this creature to kill for these treats. Nothing else motivated him more, hence why my stash of bacon treats was in a cupboard that required a step ladder, and in my pocket. Such a picky eater.
Don't ask me what it felt like to hear the sound of spilled bacon treats in the kitchen. It happened once, and I refuse to let it happen again.
Licking my hand, as if I had secret finger compartments holding more treats, Sarge sat, begging with his large brown eyes for more.
"No. You'll get fat." I said curtly and patted his head before strolling out of my office. Making a snorting sound, he followed me.
The windows were taking a beating from the early October downpour. It was already dark. The city lights blinked at me from my seventh-floor apartment windows, the distortion from the rain making them look like the galaxy stars.
Sarge nudged me. "You are so impatient." Walking into the spotless kitchen (because I kept it so), I pulled his dish from the dishwasher and filled it with kibble, located in a plastic cart in the pantry. I know, I keep human and dog food together. Bite me.
While Sarge munched on, I headed upstairs to change. As if on cue, my phone buzzed with a text. The vibration pattern told me it was Jesse. She sent a drinking gif. The state of Jesse's liver from ice cream and tequila must be withering away, but I replied nonetheless, "duh. Meet you in 30."
Arriving at the bar, it wasn't as busy as I'd thought it'd be. The early October must have scared some regulars away. The bar held the same air of welcoming, cinnamon-infused air that made me think I was in some sort of tavern in our game. The bartender nodded at me as I opened the door.
With shots of tequila lined up the ready in front of her, Jesse waved me over. Our other co-worker, Harley, looked ready to get drunk.
Sitting down, I smirked and said, "You look amazing as always, Harley." Her work button-up shirt, curled hair, and blazer always gave an air of professionalism, but today, her scowling told me that she had some shit to say, or had just finished ranting to Jesse. I hoped for the former.
"The balls for content to repeatedly make ridiculous animation requests from the entire fucking department will be the death of this studio, I swear to GOD." Downing a shot, she made a growling sound that could have come from Sarge.
"I just write the shit, so I can't help you." I grabbed the nearest shot, downing it with ease. Oh yeah, I could get drunk here too. Harley's constant run-ins with content teams as an animation lead weren't an uncommon Friday conversation. Somehow, it never got old though. She managed to find a new curse word every time.
"The next time I hear Barbara the bobbling idiot ask for more 'creature diversity' in our shit, I'm going to tell her that she can take that diversity and shove it up her porcupine ass, because the bears look FINE." Harley eyed the third shot that Jesse had neglected. Jesse eyed Harley with feigned fascination.
"Ah, so this week she's got a porcupine ass?" Jesse inquired, raising her eyebrows.
Harley took the third shot with a crisp, "Fuck you". Jesse laughed, and left to get more shots, taking off her hoodie, and leaving it on the chair as she stood up. She added before leaving, "Alex is on his way, he got stuck in some traffic."
"I'm telling you, the outskirts of Seattle is much easier to navigate," I said, taking off my own zip hoodie. Harley scoffed. "You might be right but then you're too far from the bars and excitement."
"Other than our Friday trips to this sacred place, I like being further away from all the action. Besides," I leaned back in my chair, putting my leg on my knee, "I'm comfortable with being alone. Sarge is a great partner. And I know what makes him tick, so he's easy to understand." It was true. Not lies, exactly.
But there was no getting past Harley, no matter how many shots she drowned. "Blue, you need more than a dog. Hell, if any of us deserve a real man, it's you. Next to Alex."
"First of all, Alex is more than set up with Jack. He's like your stereotypical guy of guys. And second, no I don't, I enjoy doing things alone. It's Seattle, there's shit to do every block."
"And men to do every block." Jesse commented, setting a tray of tequila shots and fries down.
Grabbing some fries, I rolled my eyes as Harley replied, "Jack is a guy, I'll agree to that. But I mean like, a man, you know? Someone more than just a walking muscle head." Harley's previous ex flashed in my mind, a toxic asshole who left to join the military after losing his job.
Prior to that, Harley dated a woman who simply couldn't (and refused to) handle Harley's often-passionate emotions. My experience with them was often on the peripheral, and even I had to step out sometimes. But she'd been through many that had emotionally failed her. Empathy pitted at the bottom of my stomach as I imagined her in a wedding dress with the shade of a perfect soulmate. Her flaws only sharpened her perfections. (Hell, I sound like I should have dated her.)
"Well, good luck on that search. We've all had our shit relationships." Jesse munched on some fries after downing a shot.
"But we always get through it. They can't separate us. Unless we get laid off. Then I have a reason to live in Hawai'i forever." It was Harley's turn to roll her eyes. As she did, Alex sat down next to me, covered in water. Droplets fell on me as he took of his rainjacket. This was a common collateral in Seattle.
"God, apologies. I parked a few blocks away and underestimated the shower I was going to have to endure." Alex sat down and ran a hand through his hair.
"You're good. Just shittin' the shots, as usual." Harley said, munching on fries. A waiter brought another tray. Jesse shot her a 'thanks' before turning back to Alex, who had a shot in one hand, and his outdated iPhone in the other.
"Jeezes, why do you make us look at that archaic phone? When are you going to upgrade?" Jesse half-joked. Jesse, our pragmatic alcoholic tech-lover was half our IT department at the studio, but she refused to be put on payroll. 'IT is for nerds. I'm what you call a technology connoisseur', is a repeated line I'd never be spared of.
"For your information, I enjoy the smaller size of the monstrous iPhone, and second," he put his phone away, " I was just reading a message from Allan. He wants to move the meeting because 'his creativity needs to bake longer'." We unanimously groaned. As a fellow workaholic, I understood Alex's desire to use Slack outside of working hours. But not to deal with Allan.
"Of course he does. But I won't have it. Wasn't it his idea for the meeting-deadlines topic for that PD (professional development) workshop?" It was.
"Yeah but, you know Allan, he's made of good stuff. He's got a supportive team." Alex reasoned, taking his shot.
"A little too supportive," Harley muttered.
The night rolled on. Four shots and two hours of bullshitting later, I began to put my hoodie back on, the weight feeling heavier than usual, the lights blurrier than I remember. I couldn't recall if I ate anything, the taste of tequila and whiskey on my breath.
"Hey, take her home, Alex. She's doing her 'oh I'm not drunk' swaying again." Harley said, finishing a fish and chips meal that Jesse pretended not to mooch off of, not that Harley minded. Jesse affirmed, "Yeah. No way my girl is getting hit by some loser. I can't write those sequences alone."
"You have Alex, dummy." Harley teased. Jesse said, "Oh, right. But Alex doesn't count until he gets a new phone." Unamused, Alex made a face and agreed. He put a twenty on the table and began to put his jacket on, perfectly sober.
"Very funny. One, I'm not drunk, and two," I managed to use all of my focus to slowly zip up my hoodie, "um…" I trailed off as all three were looking at me, amused. I certainly didn't feel drunk. Drunk Blue was me falling a lot and talking about my dog. Drunk Blue talked too much. Drunk Blue was not fun to be around. Drunk Blue also sometimes got sad, or spoke in third person.
"Blue, we're here." The windshield wipers of Alex's small Subaru moved rhythmically. Through them, I could barely make out the apartment complex entrance.
It hadn't felt like I was in the car that long. Maybe I was a little tipsy.
"Sorry you had to drive this far. I was going to walk-" I started, probably talking too slow.
"No, don't worry about it. It's not the first time, nor will it be the last. Plus, I have to swing by the store and pick up some stuff for Jack, he's actually sick right now." Alex smiled at me. For some reason, I felt a slight tinge of irritation rise in my throat.
"Um, ok. Bye." I awkwardly got out, and immediately wanted back in. The rain was aggressive. It slapped me in the face, my eyes somehow taking in a raindrop every other second. Waves of cold wind instantly soaked my hoodie, and I immediately wondered why the hell I didn't bring a heavier jacket.
Alex's 'see ya' was drowned out as I trudged to the door to the complex, the rain deafening everything somehow. When was it ever this loud? Why was it so hard to see? Pressing my digital key against the sensor, I managed to head in without sliding on the concrete floors, which were sleeked with rain from people walking in and out already. Curse Friday nights, why did I have to go out and drink too much?
Wiping rain off of my face, I felt my phone buzz.
Oh. That's why. I could tell it from work, and I rolled my eyes at it. I pressed the button to the elevator, the numbers trying to float away from their entrapment. Do buttons float? My brain certainly felt like it was floating. There was no way I didn't eat something, right?
As I felt the elevator slow to a stop, several things happened at once.
The doors opened. The moment I stepped out onto my floor, I felt the ground shake. It was brief, like a tremor, but it was strong enough to make me wonder if I should stand in a doorway or something.
As I took nearly a second to make the decision, there was a loud whooshing sound, as if someone had let in the outdoor wind for a moment. Then, because I got spooked out of my mind, I fell forwards, and onto another human being that appeared out of nowhere.
I felt like I needed to vomit.
"Agk - oomf!" I felt everything in my gut threaten to well up as I landed on them, but I sure as hell was not going to vomit on-
A very pretty person.
White hair. Smoke smells. Pointy…ears. Red eyes.
Yeah, I was drunk.