Caster and Mirror were deeply engrossed in the VR RPG they got from Tinka's shop.
They were currently trekking through the jungle, being hunted by a maniac and his trained velociraptors.
"We have to cross this bridge," Caster noted while pointing toward the rope bridge hanging over a deep ravine.
Mirror approached it skeptically and looked down. She felt dizzy, and her pulse quickened.
"It doesn't look safe," she muttered, but then the dinosaurs tracking them burst from the trees.
Caster grabbed her wrist and ran across the rickety bridge.
"We don't have any other choice right now!" he urged.
Once they reached the other side, Caster used his dagger to cut the ropes, sending three of the five pursuers into the depths below.
Mirror held her heart, trying to catch her breath while Caster pulled out his handgun and aimed it at the remaining two. They retreated into the jungle, barely evading the bullets.
"Do you think we'll get in trouble for breaking the bridge?" Mirror asked, regaining her composure.
"How would we get in trouble? It's still a game," he replied.
They both sharpened their blades and reloaded their ammo, since they had a free moment.
"I guess you're right," Mirror responded as she sheathed her dagger.
Right then, a wired grappling hook shot in between them, lodging into a nearby tree.
The remaining raptors had returned with an angry-looking Mr. Maniac.
"You killed Sampson, Kendrick, and Julius! Those were my children!" he shouted, devastated, with teary eyes. He connected the other end of the wire to a tree on his side and began zip-lining towards them.
Caster and Mirror gave him deadpan stares and, in sync, attempted to cut the wire with their daggers.
They tried multiple times, but it was too thick and tough to break through.
"Your a-attempts to stop me are futile!" he shouted as he hung halfway over the ravine, clear panic on his face. The two hacked at the wire more aggressively in response, and beads of sweat appeared on the villain's face. "I said it's futile, so stop!" he shouted.
He was close now, so Caster and Mirror darted off in opposite directions into the trees.
Mr. Maniac waited as his raptors used his wire as a tightrope and joined him on the other side.
"Joseph and Kenny, you go after the man; I'll get the woman," he instructed, licking his lips with a menacing expression.
The dinosaurs rushed away to fulfill his command while he scanned the area for traces of Mirror.
A strand of her golden hair was snagged on a tree branch. Nearby, the brush was parted unnaturally.
He walked closer, noticing muddy footprints and a broken branch that led deeper into the jungle.
Mirror hid herself in a cluster of bushes, crouching low and watching for approaching footsteps, in case Caster or the Maniac came by.
She heard rustling from behind, and before she had time to react, someone grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream.
On the other side of the jungle, Caster had climbed to the top of some trees, keeping himself hidden from sight while cautiously observing the dinosaurs on the ground.
Whenever he got a free moment, he jumped over to the next tree and pressed his back against the tree trunk, staying out of sight.
"No hard feelings... you're actually my favorite dinosaur species," Caster whispered while aiming his pistol and taking one out with a perfect headshot.
His partner panicked and ran away for cover.
The gunshot caused the person holding Mirror to loosen their grip.
She immediately took that chance to elbow her assailant in the ribs.
He gasped, and Mirror yanked her gun from its holster, firing behind her.
Mr. Maniac barely dodged the bullet, but it still grazed his cheek, leaving a deep scar.
He lunged at Mirror, grabbing her wrist to keep her from shooting again.
She used her free hand to punch him in the face, on his wounded cheek, repeatedly until he let her go.
Mr. Maniac held his face, swearing as she aimed the gun at him.
He raised his hands defensively.
"Okay... okay... looks like things got out of hand and we both made some mistakes, but no one else has to die here, right?" he said nervously.
Mirror glared at him, then shot him in the leg. He fell over and swore loudly.
His remaining raptor tore through the trees and stood in front of him protectively.
Seeing that caused Mirror's resolve to waver, and she lowered her weapon.
"You already killed Kenny and three of his brothers! Isn't that enough? Let's let bygones be bygones," he bargained while hugging his raptor to support his injured leg.
"What about," Mirror began, "all those people you fed to your pets and hunted for sport? Are you saying I should just let that go?" she inquired, once again raising her gun.
Mr. Maniac stammered but couldn't think of any excuses, so he said,
"They're not pets, they're my family, and if those people were strong like you, they would have lived. Weaklings like them would have died eventually, even without my help. So, is killing them really such a crime?"
Two shots rang out at the same time—one from the treetops and one from Mirror.
Caster's bullet hit the remaining raptor while Mirror's pierced the villain's heart.
The words
"YOU WIN!" floated in front of their faces, followed by a question: "Would you like to play again?"
Caster and Mirror exchanged glances, then he hopped down beside her as they both selected:
"No."
In the real world, they removed their VR helmets and sprawled out on the couch they'd been sitting on this whole time.
"That was amazing," Caster mumbled.
"Do you think we can take these with us on the trip? We could take turns playing with everyone as long as someone remains as a lookout," Mirror suggested.
Caster tiredly looked toward her and grinned,
"Sure, for now, let's eat."
Mirror laughed.
"Yeah, let's eat."
They exchanged a kiss before Caster got up and prepared dinner.
Caster made a dish with rotini pasta, a creamy sauce, chicken, and bell peppers.
Mirror pressed a button on her phone, which projected the images from her screen as a hologram floating over the coffee table.
The movie playing was a romantic comedy.
They laughed at similar points in the movie, and Mirror repeatedly complimented Caster's food, occasionally moaning in satisfaction and saying,
"So good,"
He blushed at her comments but tried to stay focused on the show. After she finished eating, she snuggled up against him, with her bowl held in her lap.
His body stiffened, and his eyes drifted over to her.
Mirror was yawning, still focused on the movie but clearly drowsy.
Before the movie was over, she fell asleep. Caster carefully propped her up so he could take both their bowls to the kitchen to wash them.
When he returned, he cleaned her mouth with a napkin, smiling at her fondly. After he was satisfied, he cradled her into his arms and kissed her forehead as he carried her to bed.
"Mmm... Caster... I love you so much," she mumbled in her sleep.
His heart fluttered. He laid her down and sat at her side to watch her facial expressions change as she continued to dream.
She went from shy to angry and finally landed on a soft smile before rolling over onto her side. He gently stroked her back.
"I love you too..." Caster said softly, careful not to disturb her.
He reached out, gently moving her hair back from her face to behind her ear.
Mirror sighed softly in her sleep as he tucked her in.
Caster then left the room to take a cold shower before joining her in bed.
He woke up at sunrise to find Mirror had him trapped with her arms and legs tightly wrapped around him.
It took him an hour to fall back asleep.
When Mirror finally awoke, she gripped him tightly, but when she heard him grunt, she released him and backed away.
"I'm so sorry!" she muttered.
Caster glanced at her, then back to the ceiling.
"Don't worry, I liked it," he assured with a grin.
She lightly shoved his shoulder, then rushed off to the bathroom to freshen up. Caster lay there chuckling, waiting for a few minutes before joining her in the bathroom to brush his teeth at her side in the vanity.
After their brushes were put away and their faces were washed, Mirror grabbed his hand, saying,
"I dreamed about you,"
He smiled softly, walking back to the bedroom slowly,
"What kind of dream was it?"
She squeezed his hand.
"We were back at school... but for some reason we weren't a couple, so I had to confess to you," Mirror muttered.
Caster sat down on the edge of the bed, and she sat in his lap facing him.
Mirror put her arms over his shoulders and made eye contact before continuing,
"It felt lonely and scary at first... but then you said you loved me too, and everything was fine after that,"
He hugged her waist, tilting his head up to meet her gaze.
"I'm glad," he replied with a smile, then she pecked his lips and sighed,
"After that, the hallway was overrun with velociraptors, and we had to run for our lives."
Caster laughed heartily.
"We didn't have powers in your dream?" he mocked playfully.
"The situation was too weird for me even to think straight. I was in full panic mode, clinging on to you for dear life," she admitted with a pout.
Caster kissed her tenderly, then he held her cheeks as he smiled brightly at her.
"It makes me happy that you want me and can rely on me, even in your dreams."
Mirror blushed lightly,
"I love you so much," he added softly.
Her heart fluttered, and she clung to him tightly as they kissed again.