Page 82 of Looking for Group
Kit nodded, and they sat there companionably, sharing a muffin
And it didn’t feel weird at all. In fact, it was even better than killing frogmen in a swamp.
“Actually,” Drew went on, “thinking about it, the funny thing about The Game is that the most hardcore way to play it is the most casual. Like if you actually care about going a long time not thinking about The Game—”
Kit yelped. “We are losing The Game so hard right now.”
“Omg, nerf conversations. But, anyway, if you actually care about winning The Game, you’re going to lose The Game, whereas if you don’t give a crap about The Game at all, you can do pretty well at it.”
“To be honest, I’d never really thought about it.”
“Well, I’m kind of interested in games, and the way they work. Uh, obviously.”
Kit was nodding thoughtfully. “I guess it’s a social thing as well. Because, as you say, you can’t really play The Game seriously. What it really becomes is a sort of signal. Like wearing aDinosaur ComicsT-shirt.”
“Oh don’t.” Drew folded his arms self-consciously over the killer whale. “I really wish I’d worn a shirt. You’re all smart, and I look like I made no effort.”
“No, it’s perfect. I’ve got ‘Partying Is Such Sweet Sorrow’ at home, but I only wear it for running.”
That gave Drew an image he wasn’t quite ready for: Kit, tousled and a little bit sweaty, jogging through the trees in Victoria Park or something. In his nerdy T-shirt. “It’s probably a good thing you didn’t wear it. We’d have looked a right pair of numpties.”
“Or the Leicester Chapter of the Ryan North Fan Club.”2
Drew laughed into his hands, and then sort of panicked because he couldn’t think of anything funny to add. “So you like running, huh?” Shit. That was even worse.
“Yeah.” Kit nodded. “Well, since I spend all my time gaming or in lectures, it’s kind of my bastion against having a heart attack at the age of forty-three.”
Drew dropped his voice a couple of octaves and adopted a faux cowboy accent. “‘Kid just rages for a while.’”
Kit stared at him, not unkindly but clearly bemused.
“Sorry, you said ‘bastion.’”
“Oh right, I haven’t played it. I don’t do so much gaming outside ofHoL.”
“It’s good3. It’s basically just an action RPG, but it’s got this cool voice-over that kind of gives context to all the pointless shit you normally do in that sort of game, like smashing barrels with a hammer, and stuff.”
Kit smiled shyly at him. “I might take a look at it.”
“I’d wait for a Steam sale. It’s about a tenner most of the time. And the sequel’s pretty cool too. It has a killer soundtrack, although I think you’re supposed to be in love with your sword, which is a bit weird.” He stopped babbling. And then babbled in a different direction. “I mean, you could come round and try it on my desktop if you want. See if you like it.”
“I bet you say that to all the boys.”
Drew spluttered, and knew he was blushing, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. “I picked upAssCreed IVin the last sale as well. I thought it was worth it because you get to be a pirate.”
“I kind of lost track of the series. I think I got the first one for my thirteenth birthday.”4
It was strange being able to watch Kit talk. He was sort ofquiet and gentle and seemed to really think about things before he said them. Drew imagined he would be just the same typing.
“All I can remember,” Kit was saying, “is having to ride a horse really slowly around twelfth-century Jerusalem because if you dared to gallop everyone would immediately work out you were an assassin.”
“Yeah, they kind of got better, then they got worse, and now it’s good again. You get, like, a pirate ship and, well, a pirate ship. I mean, seriously, what more do you want.”
“Does it come with Orlando Bloom?” Kit arched his eyebrows hopefully.5
“No, it comes with really OP swivel guns.”
Kit laughed. “Well, I’m in, then.”
