Chapter 29: Eastern District Gate Challenge (10)
Theodore sat at the edge of the payout tent’s battered barricade, half-leaning on the cold metal rail as the last of the crowd’s noise swirled around him like leftover festival slop.
His duffel bag rested against his boot, scuffed and tired the same way he felt.
Every few seconds, he flicked his thumb over the folded slip of paper tucked in his pocket — Lea’s note, soft at the edges now from how many times he’d read it today alone.
He watched the big plaza screens flicker through another loop of Zero’s final wave. The blurry feed of that cracked helmet and ragged cloak shredding a Death Knight like it owed him something. But it’s not worth watching anymore, what was done was done.
In the back of his mind, he was already running through jobs he might be able to pick up to close the gap.
Maybe those warehouse night shifts again, gate cleanup, or the stupid transport gig with the busted drones that always shorted his hazard pay.
Whatever would cover Lea’s next meds.
He didn’t even notice the three familiar shapes moving through the stragglers until someone jammed an elbow into his arm just shy of knocking him sideways.
"Hey! Theodore!"
He ignored it.
"YO, get your ass over here!" Kenji’s voice cracked a little as he leaned halfway over the rail, waving so wildly Hiro had to duck to keep from getting smacked in the ear. Leo trailed behind them, and there is totally no straw in his mouth.
Theodore blinked, thumb pausing on that soft paper crease. He thought about ignoring them again — just a second, just enough to slip away and be alone with his stupid thoughts — but the way Kenji’s grin faltered when their eyes met tugged him out of it.