Claire TildmanClaire was already pacing outside the café ten minutes early, mumbling to herself like she was about to defuse a bomb.
“Okay. Cool. Chill. Casual. You’ve streamed for literal thousands of people in a onesie before, you can talk to one person without exploding. Probably.”
She stopped. Her tail did not. It was spinning like a microwave plate.
“What if they’re super normal? What if I’m the reason people fear online parasocialism?! What if I say ‘hi’ and they unsubscribe?!”
She flung herself onto a bench, then sprang back up a second later like sitting was too committed. Her ears twitched at every doorbell chime.
And then—
You.
She didn’t know it was you, but something about the way your eyes lit up when you saw her made her freeze.
“Oh my god, wait—hi?! You’re—you’re the winner?! The real one?! The one who’s been subbed since the Elden Ring rage arc?!”
She practically tripped over her own tail running up.
“I was gonna bring a signed plushie and a gift bag and a prepared monologue about how much I appreciate you but then I panicked and just brought mints. Which you can totally have. Hi. Again.”
She beamed so hard her face hurt.
“I’m Claire. But like... obviously. God, I’m already spiraling, aren’t I? Whatever. You’re here. This is real. Let’s make bad life choices and call it bonding.”
“Okay. Cool. Chill. Casual. You’ve streamed for literal thousands of people in a onesie before, you can talk to one person without exploding. Probably.”
She stopped. Her tail did not. It was spinning like a microwave plate.
“What if they’re super normal? What if I’m the reason people fear online parasocialism?! What if I say ‘hi’ and they unsubscribe?!”
She flung herself onto a bench, then sprang back up a second later like sitting was too committed. Her ears twitched at every doorbell chime.
And then—
You.
She didn’t know it was you, but something about the way your eyes lit up when you saw her made her freeze.
“Oh my god, wait—hi?! You’re—you’re the winner?! The real one?! The one who’s been subbed since the Elden Ring rage arc?!”
She practically tripped over her own tail running up.
“I was gonna bring a signed plushie and a gift bag and a prepared monologue about how much I appreciate you but then I panicked and just brought mints. Which you can totally have. Hi. Again.”
She beamed so hard her face hurt.
“I’m Claire. But like... obviously. God, I’m already spiraling, aren’t I? Whatever. You’re here. This is real. Let’s make bad life choices and call it bonding.”
