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The Demon Brigade had just finished up their last practice run of Warcross in the evening, and the room buzzed with conversation as the team ate their dinner. Tremaine was already tired, as it had been an exhausting day of training, along with having to track down Zero. The whole time he had been trying to find a time to sneak back into his room without drawing attention, but with Jena’s relentless training, that wasn’t possible. However, now that today’s rounds have come to an end, he found an opening to leave.
“I’m gonna go to bed. I’m getting tired,” Tremaine said as he stood up. His announcement was followed by a round of ‘Okay’s and ‘Goodnight’s. About halfway to the quiet of his room, he realized he had forgotten something in the main room. He let out a frustrated sigh and headed back down to where his teammates were still finishing their food. As he walked closer, he overheard a bit of the conversation happening during the short period he was gone.
“Damn, he’s hot,” he heard Ziggy exclaim in German, the translation showing up as subtitles in his view. The rest of the Demons laughed in return. Tremaine decided ahead of time to not ask who they were talking about, not being interested in this kind of stuff, but the conversation became hard to ignore when the room went silent as he stepped in, and everyone turned to face him. Max, Jena, and Darren were trying desperately to suppress their laughter, while Ziggy stared at Tremaine, a visible blush dusting her cheeks. Very quickly, Tremaine realized Ziggy was talking about him.
He hesitated for a second, caught between embarrassment and a sense of wanting to correct the situation. With a deep breath, he decided to confront the matter head-on. Swallowing his nerves, he cleared his throat and said, “Uh, am I interrupting something?”
The group exchanged glances, and Darren smirked. “Just discussing our favorite Demon, that’s all.”
“Okay…” Tremaine muttered as he went to grab the object he left behind. He gave a wry smile as the silence in the room only seemed to grow louder. “Just forgot something, that’s all.” He nodded awkwardly before returning to the hallway. The other Demons tried, and promptly failed, to stop laughing once again. Something about the whole predicament prompted Tremaine to turn back around.
“Actually, I overheard some of what you said. Think I should mention that I’m gay.” He shrugged.
The room seemed to freeze. Everyone’s attention turned from him to Ziggy, whose face was beat red. “Wait, seriously?”
“Um, yeah.” Why the hell would I lie about that, Tremaine thought to himself.
“Ohhh my god,” Ziggy covered her face with her hands momentarily, “I am so sorry.”
“It’s alright. I’m actually gonna go to bed now. G’night.”
Another round of ‘Okay's and ‘Goodnight's rang out through the room, Ziggy’s voice significantly louder than the others.
“Is that why you wouldn't stop laughing at me?” is what showed up as subtitles in his view as he receded into the hallway, definitely from Ziggy, followed by loud laughter from his friends. He was too tired to physically react, but internally he found the whole situation funny.
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After finishing reviewing his collected data from the ongoing hunt he’d gotten caught up in, and concluding that there was nothing too important at the moment, he decided to give in to the drowsiness taking over his body and go to sleep.
Just as he thought to do so, a message popped up in his view.
Ziggy: Again, I’m so sorry about that.
Tremaine sighed and smiled at her concern.
Tremaine: Nah, it’s really fine. Happens all the time with wild cards.
Ziggy: Are you sure?
Ziggy: I mean, this doesn't make anything weird?
Tremaine: Nope
Ziggy: Okay, I won't bother you anymore haha, goodnight.
Tremaine: Goodnight.
Tremaine shook his head in amusement, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. With a final glance towards his messages, he switched off his view and settled into his bed. The events of the day had taken an unexpected turn, but he couldn't deny the comfort he found in the bonds he had formed with his teammates.