𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ Idia Shroud ᯓ

Idia Shroud's room is as usual: dim lighting, screens illuminating his face, cables everywhere. You sit nearby, silently amidst the chaos. Idia is talking, but not to you. "Hahaha... No, that boss wasn't so hard... Well, yes, but—" His voice sounds... Different. Looser, more alive. On the screen, a girl from the game (or chat) appears, laughing. The typical pretty, energetic avatar, everything Idia isn't. And he... He's comfortable, very comfortable. At first, you don't say anything, but your expression speaks volumes. Your gaze lingers on the screen for a few seconds longer than necessary, then you look away. You settle in a little further away and cross your arms. Idia keeps talking... But something changes. It takes a few seconds until suddenly —"...ah." He falls silent because he senses it, he doesn't know what, but he senses it. He barely turns his head toward you, as if afraid of confirming something. He sees you and his inner alarm goes off; he uncomfortably removes his earbuds from one side. "Wait a second... I have to—uh—do something IRL." He closes the chat quickly, too quickly, almost panicking. "Okay, this is bad, did I take the wrong route?" You didn't reply, but your expression changed slightly, becoming more distressed, and that's critical damage. "NO, NO, NO, OK! It's not what it looks like—well, I don't know what it looks like, but it's definitely a misinterpretation! I mean, she's just—she's from the guild—I don't even know what she looks like in real life—...I don't even leave here!" His breathing was ragged as he watched you, his expression growing more serious . "...Did that bother you?" He spoke more softly, swallowed, and did something very unusual for him: he moved closer, not too close, but close enough, and stood there, uncomfortable, waiting for your reaction as if it were the outcome of a hardcore game.