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“For the last time, Dustin I’m dropping you off then leaving”
“Why won’t you play DND with us, Steve? Scared you might like it?”
This argument had been going on the entire car ride to the Munsons’ new apartment. When Steve picked Dustin up, it was “Hey Steve, you should play with us today” and it kept going when they picked up Lukus and Erica, Will, Mike, El, and Finally Max, who interrupted them after about 2minutes of their argument.
“Will you both just shut up? Dustin, if Steve doesn’t want to play he doesn’t have to. Steve, this is important to Dustin will you at least come in a watch?” Dustin and Steve look at each other briefly before reluctantly agreeing.
Soon enough they arrived at Eddie's apartment, it was messy with boxes still needing to be unpacked and a few bear bottles here and there. In the center of the kitchen, there was a dining table that looked to be set up for their game. At one end there was the trifold piece of cardboard that Eddie hid behind while telling his story. Eddie greeted them as they walked in.
“Welcome one and all to my humble abode-” He cuts himself off as Steve enters, “Didn’t know you’d be joining us today Harington?”
“I won’t be, just here to watch”
Eddie sent a look to Dustin as Steve took a seat. Dustin tilted his head towards Max who mouthed “You’re Welcome” as the rest of the gang took their seats.
“Well then, If everyone is ready?” a chorus of agreement passed around the table, “Then we will begin.” Eddie went into his narrator's voice. “Friends… Romans… Countrymen… Steve” He sent a quick look to steve with a smirk on his face before continuing. “Lend me your ears as we enter the Pit of the Fallen, where all of you reside.” The campaign begins, and El and Max are a bit confused, however by the time the second encounter happens, they are pros.
“El roll perception.”
“I got a 17.”
“While entering the cave you notice there are some bats in the corner of the room, but they are unnaturally still. It occurs to you that they could be spies for the Blood-Rake.”
“I cast Ray of Frost on one of the bats.”
“Everyone roll initiative.” at this the whole group grows and begins rolling after everyone fills Eddie in on the rolls he tells them, “Until next week young adventures.”
“What?”
“No!”
“How could you?”
“Why?”
“You all need sleep.” Everyone wants to play some more however, 4 hours have passed and everyone is ready for sleep. After most of the children headed out to the car, Steve was about to head out as well when Eddie Stopped him. “So how did you like it? Enjoy the drama? The adventure?”
“It was more entertaining than I thought it would be, I enjoyed my time here,” Steve replied.
“The Steve Harington enjoyed an evening with a bunch of nerds and freaks. Careful we might make you into one of us.”
“Ha ha very funny, but yeah Munson, maybe next week I’ll join in, I don’t know how to make a character, but I think it’ll make the kids happy.”
“You know it will, and hey if you need help making a character sheet, I’m always here.”
As Steve left Eddie’s apartment he had a small smile on his face when he dropped the kids off and when he drove home and as he went to bed that night. It was a strange sort of joy he felt when he watch the kids let go for a while and fall into the story Eddie was telling. Steve felt drawn into the world and characters that everyone had created, wanting to be a part of it, wanting to connect the same way they were.
The next morning during his shift at Family Video, Steve ranted to Robin about the night before. “It was like everyone was working together, and they didn’t split up, it was great to see their teamwork.”
“Wow Steve, you are turning into a massive nerd.” Robin was organizing the rentals that had just come back as Steve walked over.
“You know what maybe, but I don't care,” Steve said dramatically, Robin scoffed at this but didn’t say anything. “I’m gonna play next week.”
“Steve you know nothing about DND, how to play or make a character.”
“Then I’ll ask Munson for help, you should join too, it’ll be really fun, I promise.”
Robin gives Steve a look.
“Alright, I just don’t want to be alone not knowing what is happening. I watched them last night, it’s complicated.” Robin finishes organizing the tapes and walks back over to the register.
“If you insist Duffus, let's call Eddie and set up a time to make some characters.”
“Thank you, I’ll call now.” Steve heads over to the store phone and puts in Eddie’s number from memory.
“Munson residence.” Eddie’s tired voice answers the phone.
“What's up Munson,”
“Steve, it is ten in the morning on a Saturday, why are you calling me this early, I should be asleep.”
Steve laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, remember last night when you told me you would help set me set up a character for DND?
“Yes, I do, I was under the impression that you would just show up to work on one, or back out of playing in the entirety.”
“Oh, well I was wondering if you are free around 5 today? To work on characters for me and Robin?”
“Robin too? Who convinced her?”
“Me,”
“You? Oh, you just didn’t want to be the only one that had no clue what you were doing.”
“Why does everyone keep bringing that up?”
“Because you refuse to believe that you are a human being and need other people to survive, but yeah anyway I can be available at like 5.”
“... Great thanks, see ya then Munson.”
“Bye Stevie.”
Steve hung up the call and turned to Robin and sighed.
“What?” She asked
“Eddie certainly is a character, we are headed over today after our shifts to make characters.”
“Sounds great.”
The rest of their shift seemed to drag on forever until finally both Robin and Steve clocked out at 4:30.
“You seem excited,” Robin stated as they pulled into Eddie's apartment building. “Can’t wait to see your boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” Steve says as he gets out of the car.
“No, but you wish he was,” Robin said under her breath as she also beings to get out of the car. Steve walks up to Eddie’s door and knocks, a few moments later he is met with a smirking Eddie Munson.
“Welcome, Sir Harington” then to Robin, “Lady Buckly,”
“Hi, Eddie.” Robin walks right into Eddie’s apartment, and Steve follows after.
“Well, let's get started, first we should pick a class, race, and background. Class should be first then we can pick race and background based on that.” Eddie began to explain the process, it took a few tries for Robin and Steve to understand what class, race, and background are. Eventually, Eddie just asked the two what they wanted to be able to do.
“I want to like fight people, it would be cool if I could have my bat with nails. I kinda want to be a team player and protect my friends.” Steve answered.
“I think it would be funky if I could like maybe play an instrument and like be some sort of spellcaster, I mainly want to cause chaos.” as Robin said this Eddie smiled, mischievously.
“I think that is something we can do, for both of you.” Eddie turned to Robin first, “Buckly, I’m thinking Bard, you could cast charisma-based spells- I’ll tell you what that means later- and play an instrument. What do you think?”
“Sounds great,”
Eddie then turned to Steve, “Stevie, we have 2 options for you. The first and less complicated one is being a fighter, you fight things, and you’ll get a fighting style. The second option is to be a Paladin, they take an oath that gives them holy power, they carry around a Holy Weapon which could be your bat if you would like, and they can cast a few spells.”
“Ok,” Steve paused, confused, “Can you go through the whole process with Robin first so I see how it works, and I’ll think about it.”
“Come on Buckly let's get started.”
After about an hour Robin had her character done, Ms. Robin Buckart of Farrell Lv 3 Bard. Eddie turned to Steve, who had been watching the whole time, carefully.
“Ready?”
“Right, yeah I think I’m going to be a Palladin.” Steve looked up to see Robin and Eddie looking at him smiling.
“Great, let's roll your ability scores then,”
After another hour and a half, Steve had his character- Sir. Steven Hair of Farrell Lv 3 Paladin, twin of Ms. Robin. After their characters were made, Eddie took the time to educate the newly appointed twins on the campaign, lore, and how to play so they aren’t fish out of the water on Friday. It made Steve feel good to know that his friends weren’t going to let him embarrass himself, or at least not let him do it alone.
Finally, it was Friday and Steve was on his way to pick up the whole group, when Dustin got into the car he was confused to see Robin already there.
“Why is Robin here? Did you two finally get together?”
“Ew gross no, I brought her to sit in on DND with me.” Steve and Robin agreed that it would be really funny to surprise all the kids.
During the session, Steve and Robin sat around the table waiting for their characters to be introduced, when it finally happened.
“I would like to roll perception to see if there are any interesting people in the bar.” Max, the smartest of the group, rolled.
“Go ahead.”
“18”
“You notice a few groups of people that might be interesting, but the two people who stand out most to you are a pair of twin halflings who are loudly arguing in the corner.”
“I walk up to them” then putting as her character Max continued, “is there a reason you two are fighting? Or just being dumb?”
“Steve, Robin, I’ll let you take over from here.” Eddie gave them the floor as a chorus of gasps came from the children as they turned to the far end of the table.
Robin spoke up first, “Of course, there is a reason we are fighting, he is being a Duffus. He says that we should go on a quest to the south, where it is freezing and we will freeze to death.”
“It’s worth 50 gold, Robin.” Steve then turns to the rest of the group, “I’m Sir. Steven Hair, by the way, this is my twin sister Ms. Robin Buckart."
The rest of the session went off without a hitch, Steve and Robin had an amazing time with all the kids, who enjoyed their playing. Steve dropped everyone off after promising another session at least and went to be that night, valued, loved, and happy.