Wednesday had been a steady hum of productivity, reviewing Act 3 task boards, answering quick Slack pings from the engineering team, and giving the art department feedback on the latest companion outfit concepts. Ariel had powered through her lunch at her desk, the sunlight cutting in low across her office, her mind cycling through deadlines and small victories. By the time the meeting reminder ping flashed in the corner of her monitor, she felt organized and ready.

  1:58 PM. She straightened in her chair, double-checked her notes, and clicked into the bi-weekly leadership call. It was her first one since becoming Director of Game Developement, so she had to make sure she was on point and on time. The familiar grid of faces appeared: Abigail at the top, looking energetic as ever, and then the rest of the team leads from art, narrative, QA, engineering, and marketing.

  Abigail began, her voice always bright and efficient. “Alright, everyone! Let’s keep it tight! Progress updates, quick blockers, and anything we should all know. Luis, you’re up first.”

  Each team reported in. Art described progress on the remaining biomes and new animal companion outfits; narrative talked about scripting new NPC dialogue; QA flagged a handful of bugs in Act 2’s integration but nothing critical. Ariel listened, making notes, offering encouragement where needed.

  Finally, Abigail called, “Ariel, you’re up. Tell us how Act 3 is shaping up.”

  Ariel unmuted, smile settling easily onto her lips. “Thanks, Abby. Act 3 is officially in early development and we’re right on track. The engineering team pushed the companion system live to the dev branch this week, and initial testing on the new crafting mechanics is already underway. Narrative’s rough draft of the main questline is complete, and they’ve started breaking down sidequests for each biome. Art has concepted three out of five new areas, with the first full pass on the Pine Forest and Desert Oasis due Friday.”

  She glanced at her notes, ticking off each point. “On the technical side, we had a minor hiccup with inventory UI, but Dan’s team squashed that in yesterday’s fix. QA has a list of edge cases, but nothing that blocks major progress. Overall, Act 3’s sprint is moving smooth. No roadblocks, plenty of momentum, and the team’s in great spirits after the Act 2 wrap. Big shout out to everyone for the quick turnaround and all the support as we ramp up production.”

  She finished, glancing around the call, seeing nods, smiles, and a few thumbs-up emojis in the chat.

  Abigail nodded, looking genuinely pleased. “Fantastic, Ariel. Thanks for the detail. Love hearing that Act 3 is rolling along. Alright. Any other major updates before we move on?”

  The room was quiet, save for a few minor questions.

  Abigail checked her agenda, then smiled. “Before I let you all go, I wanted to give a heads-up about a little event next month. There’s a small game and comic convention coming to the Seattle Convention Center, second week of January. Nothing huge, but a good opportunity to show off what we’re working on.”

  The marketing lead perked up. “Willowbound’s got a booth this year?”

  “That’s right,” Abigail replied. “We’ll be setting up to promote Wispwood Haven’s upcoming release. It's also a great follow-up to the trailer we're releasing just before Holiday break. It’s mostly for fan engagement, demo reels, a bit of merch, maybe some early playtesting.”

  She looked directly at Ariel. “I’ll be there to anchor things, but I’d also love it if you could join me, Ariel. There’s no stage time. Just meeting fans, answering questions, helping show off the game. It’s a good experience, and I think folks would love to meet you.”

  Ariel’s heart did a small flip, but she kept her composure, remembering Jim’s advice from weeks ago. There’ll be days you’ll need to be the face. Don’t run from it. You can handle it, and the team will trust you more for it. She smiled back at Abigail, nodding confidently. “Of course. I’d be happy to be there. Let me know the schedule and what you need from me.”

  Abigail’s smile softened, pride clear in her eyes. “Thanks, Ariel. I’ll send over the details this week. As for the rest of you, if anyone wants to volunteer for booth duty, let me know. We’ll keep it fun, no pressure.”

  There was a little laughter, a few people making “not it!” faces. Ariel relaxed, the nerves replaced by a quiet anticipation.

  They wrapped up the call with quick reminders - submission deadlines, upcoming team-building lunch - and then Abigail closed out. “Alright, everyone. Thanks for the updates and all your hard work. If you need me, you know where to find me. Have a great rest of your week!”

  One by one, the cameras blinked off. Ariel lingered for a moment, letting the moment settle in. Her fingers tapped lightly against the desk, a nervous energy still fizzing under her skin despite the steady rhythm of her breathing. She replayed the call in her head, her voice steady, her updates clear, and let herself feel the swell of relief. She was still nervous, of course; the idea of stepping into a public role carried its own weight. But that undercurrent of nerves felt sharper in a good way, pushing her forward instead of holding her back. She was ready for this. Ready to represent her team; to step forward into whatever came next.

  The sky over Seattle was painted a soft violet as Ariel stepped out of Willowbound HQ, the building’s glass doors gliding shut behind her. The city was winding down, traffic mellow, the air tinged with the scent of rain and street food. She pulled her scarf tighter and started toward the crosswalk, only to spot a familiar figure on the sidewalk across the street, practically bouncing in place.

  Holly’s long blonde hair was loose and shining in the city light, her bright coat unbuttoned as she all but skipped toward the building. When she spotted Ariel, her face broke into a wide grin. Without hesitation, she dashed across (checking for traffic with a practiced glance) and crashed into Ariel, wrapping her up in a full-bodied, enthusiastic hug.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Hey, there’s my little gremlin!” Holly squealed, squeezing Ariel tight. “Missed you all day!”

  Ariel laughed, delighted and a bit breathless, her cheeks coloring from more than just the cold. “What are you doing here? Did you get bored of coffee already?”

  Holly grinned, releasing her only enough to hold her hands. “Nope. I wanted to see my favorite girl and take her for a walk. Maybe find something tasty to eat. C’mon, you can’t tell me you aren’t craving something carby after a full day of bossing everyone around.”

  Ariel nudged her playfully, leaning into the easy rhythm of their banter. “'Take me for a walk'? Am I your pet?”

  Holly made a mock-scandalized face. “A capybara in a sweater, to be precise." She layfully nudged Ariel's plush side. "Plus, it's more of a public service. Seattle needs more cuddly girls wandering the streets. We’ll single-handedly raise the city’s comfort index.”

  They set off down the sidewalk, hand-in-hand, their strides matched despite the height difference. Streetlights flickered on as they walked, painting their breath with gold.

  “So,” Holly asked, swinging their hands between them, “how was your day, Director?”

  Ariel smiled, feeling the day’s tension melt away as she walked beside Holly. “Busy. Leadership check-in, lots of Act 3 updates. Abigail asked me to help with a booth at a convention next month: one of those comic and game expos at the convention center. Nothing too big, but she wants me to meet fans and talk about Wispwood Haven.”

  Holly’s eyes sparkled, squeezing Ariel’s hand. “Ooh, you’re gonna be famous! Am I allowed to show up with a ‘Director’s #1 Fan’ sign? Or maybe just stand in line to ask you for an autograph.”

  Ariel rolled her eyes, grinning. “Only if you promise to bring snacks. And not embarrass me. Too much.”

  “No promises, Red. You know I live for chaos.” Holly bumped Ariel’s hip with hers, giggling.

  Ariel sighed in mock defeat, her voice gentle. “Honestly, though… I’m kind of excited. Jim warned me this sort of thing would happen. I’m nervous, but… I feel like I can actually do it. Maybe even enjoy it.”

  Holly nodded, a softness in her gaze. “You’re going to be amazing. And hey, if you need a bodyguard-slash-emotional support animal, I’m only a phone call away.”

  Ariel squeezed her hand, her smile tender and playful. “Oh please. You're coming with me.”

  They wandered along the city’s pulse, Ariel’s hand looped through the crook of Holly’s elbow as they traded teasing remarks and inside jokes, each one met with a grin or a gentle bump of hips. The glow of ramen shops, bakeries, and little markets spilled across the sidewalk, tempting them at every turn until they settled on a cozy ramen bar with a perfect view of the Great Wheel. As they waited for steaming bowls to arrive, Ariel’s gaze drifted toward the glittering lights of the wheel and she smiled. “Remember that night?” she asked softly. “Up there on the Great Wheel, the city all lit up, and you holding my hand so tight I thought you’d never let go.”

  Holly’s lips curved into a fond smile. “I was so scared of being so high in the air. But...” She chuckled softly as she looked down at the table, "I just knew that I'd find something magical at the top."

  Ariel laughed quietly. “We did. I'd never imagined my first kiss would be with a girl at the top of the Great Wheel. Especially not with someone as amazing as you, Vi.”

  “Best kiss I’ve ever had,” Holly said, leaning in across the table, eyes shining as if she could step right back into that moment. “And I knew then I wasn’t letting you go.”

  Ariel’s cheeks warmed, the memory wrapping around her like a blanket. “Good. Because I'm not letting go either.”

  Just then, the server arrived with their ramen, the bowls sending up fragrant clouds of steam that curled between them. They shared a lingering smile over the table before picking up their chopsticks, the glow of the Great Wheel beyond the window keeping the memory alive as they began to eat.

  The Thursday morning sun was just starting to brighten the Seattle skyline outside Willowbound’s 18th floor windows when there was a light knock on Ariel’s office door. Ariel looked up from her monitor, where she’d been reviewing early bug reports, and smiled.

  “Come in!” she called, already waving as Abigail poked her head in.

  Abigail stepped inside, mug in hand, her signature energy a little softer today, almost companionable. “Hey, Ariel. How’s the morning going so far?”

  Ariel relaxed back in her chair, stretching her arms. “Pretty good, actually. No fires to put out yet, and the art team sent over the first batch of winter biome concepts. They look incredible.”

  Abigail grinned, perching on the edge of the guest chair. “Love to hear it. I just wanted to check in and make sure I didn’t totally catch you off-guard yesterday with that convention invite.”

  Ariel let out a little laugh. “You caught me off-guard for sure. But... in a good way. Jim warned me this was coming, and I think I’m ready for it.”

  Abigail’s smile grew a shade more serious, warm with confidence. “You’ll be great, I’m sure of it. I wanted to make sure you got some face time with the public early on. As we get further into Act 3 and Wispwood’s release approaches, the events are only going to ramp up. I think having you there, being the face for the game and the studio, will be fantastic. For Willowbound, and honestly, for you too.”

  Ariel nodded, letting the words sink in. There was a little buzz of nerves, but mostly pride. “Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

  Abigail set her mug down. “One more thing. Have you given any more thought to hiring a PR Manager?”

  Ariel blinked, caught slightly off-guard again, then shook her head. “Not seriously, no. Been so focused on Act 3 and keeping everything running, it just kind of… slipped down the list.”

  Abigail nodded, understanding but firm. “I figured. But you ought to soon. Once that new trailer drops in a few weeks, you’re going to have questions pouring in: journalists, podcasters, influencers, even fans emailing directly. Having a dedicated PR Manager to field that, to handle scheduling and statements, would free you up for the big-picture stuff only you can do.”

  Ariel smiled, the idea percolating. “I’ll definitely consider it. Thanks, Abby.”

  Abigail grinned, getting to her feet. “I know you will. Think about it and let me know if you want to brainstorm candidates. Have a good rest of your morning, Director.”

  She left with a wave, closing the door softly behind her.

  Ariel sat for a while, turning the conversation over in her mind. She knew Abigail was right. The further along they got, the more her public role would grow. But the idea of hiring a PR Manager left her uneasy. The thought of trusting someone she didn’t know with her public image, her words, her reputation, felt daunting. It needed to be someone who understood her and the team. Someone she could trust, not just as a coworker, but as a partner in the work.

  She stared out at the city, the buzz of traffic far below. Instinctively, her mind drifted to people she knew. People she could actually trust with something that personal. Holly flashed across her mind, bright as ever: calm under pressure, effortlessly charming, good with people in a way Ariel envied. But the thought faded almost as quickly. HR, and quite frankly the rest of the company, would never go for it, she figured: nepotism, dating a direct report, all the corporate messiness.

  Ariel sighed, absently spinning a pen between her fingers. Still, she couldn’t help but picture it for a moment: Holly at her side, handling press, smoothing over awkward moments, making Ariel laugh when she needed it most. It almost made her smile... but for now, it was just a thought. Ariel pulled up her email and got back to work.