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"Okay here it comes, everybody group up for phase three."

"Why? We're just gonna all die again because people don't know how to follow a damn mark." Kendall grumbled, grabbing his can of sprite and taking a swallow of it.

"C'mon, happy thoughts." another teammate's voice filtered through the headset he was wearing. "Happy thoughts make dead dragons and phat loots."

"Whatever..." Ordinarily, he was all for staying up until the wee hours of the morning to raid, but this one had been tedious from the get-go. People not following directions, healers lagging out, dying for various other stupid reasons....all in all, it had stopped being fun about an hour ago, and he had other things he wanted to get done before he went to bed.

Heaving a sigh, he ran a hand through his slightly-mussed black hair, glancing at the digital clock display before punching the push-to-talk button again.

"This is gonna be my last try, you guys, I have work in the morning."

"Sleep is for the weak!"

Yeah, well, so were ninety-percent boss wipes. Scooting in his chair a bit closer to the computer monitor he sighed and went through the motions like he really believed they were going to kill Malygos this time.

"Everybody get on star." Ken said, watching as nobody listened. "ON star. GET THE HELL ON--"

Whud!

The sound of something heavy rattling the window in its pane made him jump flicking his eyes toward the noise immediately. There was nothing there....save the mucky brown flowerlet now slowly oozing down the glass.

What the hell?

"Be right back." he said absently into his mic, peeling the headset off even as the cries of protest rang out of the phones about how you did not go AFK in the middle of a boss fight.

He barely heard them, however, as he rose from his chair, staring uneasily at the window.

Maybe a bird had flown into the glass or something...

At this hour?

Okay, maybe a bat, then. Hell, he didn't know.

Setting his jaw, assuring himself it was probably nothing, he crossed the room and tentatively eased the second story window open, peering out into the dark.

He really didn't know what he'd expected. Maybe Tourmaline to be messing with him again, though chucking mud at his window at almost one in the morning seemed a bit out-of-sorts with the kinds of torment she preferred.

Seeing Rhiannon standing in the flood of light below, however, made him stop short, blinking in surprise at her as if he thought she might be some sort of illusion.

"How'd you get here?" he asked, puzzled. "Do you need to talk to Ray? I can go get her up..."

....him? She was here to see him? This late?

"I....yeah, I guess." he said, his tail brushing the backs of his legs uncomfortably. What in the name of god did she need to see HIM for...? They'd barely talked at the clinic and all.

But it must be important if she was looking -him- of all people up...maybe something had happened.

"Uhm....go around front, I'll let you in." he said, disappearing back inside.

He didn't know why, really, but his stomach was in knots before he'd even reached his bedroom door. People did not just show up at a near-stranger's window in the wee hours of the morning to say hi, so it had to be SOMETHING bad...

Just let her use the phone or whatever she needs, and be done with it.[ rationality spoke up. Maybe -her- car broke down someplace too.

THAT sounded plausible, at least....and if it wasn't that, it was probably something -like- that. Reassured, he padded quietly through the hallway and down the stairs to the front door.

She didn't have long to wait as the sound of a latch unlocking would meet her ears, followed by a knob turning, and at last by a pale and slightly-bewildered face peering at her curiously a moment before opening the door the rest of the way, stepping aside to let her in.

"Did something happen?" he asked. "Do you need to call somebody?" His hand went reflexively to his pocket, only to find it flat. s**t. The phone was in its charger.

He blinked.

Just....passing by.

"I....no, I guess that's okay." he allowed, reaching up to scratch behind an ear nervously, as seemed to be his custom when plunged into an uncomfortable situation. "Guess I'm just....not really used to getting visitors, is all..."

He shifted his weight a bit, drawing a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

At least it wasn't anything bad, then. The mental images of having to explain to Tourma and Ray why there were police or ambulance lights outside the house at this hour slowly dissipated.

The silence began to become deafening.

"So..." he began, coughing reflexively and folding his arms over his chest to hopefully keep himself from fidgeting. "...uh...how are you?"

He took a reflexive step backward as she nudged him, not even seeming aware he was doing it, moreso just passively getting out of her way. His eyes flickering between her and the direction she was looking. Part of him expected to see someone half-awake and annoyed at the top of them, demanding to know what the hell was going on.

Nobody though. The house remained silent and still.

"Nothing too fun." he told her. "I got into a bad group earlier and we spent the last four hours dying trying to kill a dragon." He gave a slight chuckle, though it dried as his eyes momentarily went wide.

God dammit, he'd left them all wondering where he'd gone on vent.

"....actually, speaking of them, just a sec...." he told her, turning and bolting up the stairs back to his room.

The headset was right where he'd left it on his computer seat, and even as he entered, he could hear the jumble of loud, annoyed voices coming from it.

Great...

He swept it up and situated it back over his head. "Hey guys? Sorry, but somebody came over. I gotta run."

"Maybe its Blizzard coming over to tell you to quit mangling their damn game and learn to play." came the witty retort. Yeah, well, screw you guys too...

He reached for the mouse to close out Ventrilo for the night.