The Haunting of Hydance Hall

It's like time slips through her fingers; one moment she has a lot of it, enough to do everything she needs to do and more, and the next she's rushing to get everything done as a deadline looms over her. Now, don't get this wrong, it's not like Hilda is lazy or disorganised — not more than the average person. But, she also has an average person's idea of productivity, and oftentimes, no matter how many post-it notes she may stick to her monitors' frames as reminders, some things always end up being left for the last moment. Now, perhaps some of the blame goes to the fact that she also somehow always ends up taking on smaller projects as these deadlines approach, because of course, Hilda just can't say "No".

So, time slips away, and when focused on a project, a workday that had just started can so very easily turn into a dark office where her monitors are just about the only light source. When had it become this late? Staring at her monitors, Hilda sighs, her gaze drifting to the bottom right corner where the time stares back at her. It really is late. Everyone else is probably already gone by now. Should she go too? Her hamster are probably waking up by now, but she had left them food, and on the other hand, she's so close to being done...

Options are weighed against one another in an invisible scale, and while doing so, Hilda holds the Ditto squishy fidget that usually sits on her desk. She squeezes it as hard as she possibly can, watching the way its smile never fades. It always makes her smile as well. It's then that she reaches for a water bottle marked by the Hydance logo, only to realize that it's empty.

"Shoot." The wheels of her swivel chair roll, the decision being left until after she refills her water bottle. And so, with the quiet steps of someone who has gone decades wishing not to be the centre of attention, Hilda makes her way to the breakroom, well aware that there must be at least a few people still with her at the office.

...Or so she hopes.

There has to be someone, right? At least the cleaning crew or something!

Hilda doesn't, in fact, have a life. Not in her own opinion, at least.

The life of a recluse, maybe, but it's not like that can be helped, can it? She doesn't know a lot of people in town, after all, and even if she did, she has always preferred staying in the comfort of her own home over going out excessively. She lives alone with her pets, she currently has no love-life to speak of, and her family is quite literally across the country. So, what's the harm in working until late? Better her than someone who actually has people they want to meet up with or at home waiting for them...

Something like what she imagines Sae's life must be like, and everyone else's, really..

"Hey, Sae. Nah, I... was finishing up on a project." She gives him a small smile and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear; a nervous gesture, but also because of how much discomfort its length brings her lately. See, her mother has always said she looks much better with long hair, but truth be told, Hilda wishes she could get a bob cut and be done with it all — Domino has one, and it may seem silly, but when she's in game everything feels so much more comfortable.

"Do you have a lot left to do?" Hilda makes her way for the water cooler, and she would tell Sae that he should go home, but she's not in the habit of telling people what they should and shouldn't do when it doesn't pertain to her work. Not here, at least. Not when she's out of the game.

There's a soft chuckle when he moves out of the way, and then the faint blushing of her cheeks to follow. But, what else what she to do? It's the awkwardness of two tired introverts standing alone in a room, attempting to make small talk. Yeah, sure, they have a whole lot of common interests to talk about, but usually Hilda would rely on more extroverted people to lead the conversation... except for when online. Everything always feels so much easier when online.

"Ah, tell me about it. I've been struggling to get some stuff to work." She comments in passing, but then again, that's a common occurrence when it comes to those who dedicate their lives to programming. Code is a finicky bitch. Which, while frustrating at times, in Hilda's opinion makes it all the more rewarding when things finally work perfectly.

"Hm?" Water loudly pours into the bottle, background noise to their conversation. "Oh! Yeah, of course. My character's totally a Support main, and since it looks like most people will be going there with a fight in mind, I figured they could use the heals. Plus, I'm too hooked on the story to miss it."

She laughs this time, softly still, but a laugh all the same, and when she looks at Sae once again, a smile is offered.

"Are you? It sounds like it'll be tons of fun."

"Ah, fair. Though, for the record, I don't think you need to be connected to the story to enjoy it. I think you'd have a great time." She gives him a smile, but it's not in Hilda's interest or her nature to tell people what to do, and so, in the end, if Sae decides not to attend the event, that's all on him, but she sure as hell won't miss it.

The water bottle is already filled, now awkwardly held in her hands. She should probably take a sip since she had come all this way to get a drink, but thoughts of the conversation distract her. Neat? Is that sarcasm? It doesn't sound like sarcasm, but when Ashley had told her her skirt looked cute in seventh grade and had then laughed about it when Hilda wasn't listening it sure hadn't sounded like sarcasm either...

Putting bitter memories aside, she decides to trust in Sae.

"I've always liked playing Support, you get to decide who gets to live." She says it with a chuckle, as if she were joking, but anyone who has met Domino in game would know that she would absolutely deny someone healing if she feels like it. "Beta Tester has always been my main class, but I've been running Catalyst with it since Noonlight... Messy combination, but that's what makes it fun. You? I don't think we've ran into each other in the game."