An hour before the interview, the shared office had taken on a quiet kind of magic. Rain misted the windows, soft and silvery, as if the sky was trying not to intrude. Holly stood near the center of the room, arms crossed over her chest, evaluating her work like a stage director waiting for the curtain to rise.

  The ring light glowed gently behind Ariel's monitor, perfectly adjusted to highlight her face without washing her out. On the bookshelf behind her chair, Holly had carefully arranged a subtle backdrop: a trailing ivy plant, a soft-toned concept art print from Wispwood Haven, and a chibi red panda plush that matched the companion in-game. Ariel's desk had been tidied to polished minimalism, a white mug of tea steaming quietly beside her notes.

  Ariel, dressed in a cream-colored blouse and her soft lavender cardigan, sat in the center of it all, clearly trying not to hyperventilate. Her ankles were crossed, her hands fidgeting in her lap, and her lips pursed in concentrated silence.

  Holly watched her for a moment before stepping in, a bakery bag in one hand, a ceramic mug in the other.

  "Okay, babe," she said gently, crouching beside her. "Emergency reinforcements. One blueberry scone, warm from that place you love. And your emotional support tea."

  Ariel turned to her with wide, grateful eyes. "You’re some kind of witch, aren’t you?"

  "Only the cozy kitchen kind," Holly said, setting the treats on the desk. "And you, Miss McIntyre, are going to be so good they’ll think you were born in a ring light."

  Ariel cracked a weak smile. "I still feel like I’m going to barf."

  "Perfect," Holly replied with a wink. "That’s just adrenaline trying to get a head start. Use it."

  Ariel took a slow breath and leaned into her chair, grabbing the scone with shaky fingers. She broke off a corner, popped it into her mouth, and chewed slowly. "This helps."

  "Of course it does. I bribed the baker with flattery. It also helps that he knew it was for his favorite customer."

  Ariel laughed, her tension breaking just slightly. Holly sat on the arm of her chair, one hand gently brushing Ariel’s hair back behind her ear.

  "What if they ask something I haven’t prepared for?" Ariel asked quietly. "What if I freeze?"

  "Then you breathe. And you blink those huge green eyes and say, 'That’s a great question. I’ll need a second to think about that.'" Holly gave her a little smile. "You’re not being tested. You’re being asked to talk about the thing you love. That’s all."

  "But what if I mess up?"

  "Then you recover like you always do. With grace, intelligence, and probably a weird metaphor about trees."

  Ariel looked up at her, and something softened in her eyes. "You really believe in me."

  "Red, I bet my entire career on you. So yeah, I do."

  That pulled a shaky breath from Ariel’s chest. Her eyes shimmered, but she didn’t cry. Instead, she reached out and took Holly’s hand, squeezing it tight. "If you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be doing this."

  "If I weren’t here," Holly murmured, brushing her thumb over Ariel’s knuckles, "you’d still be doing it. But I’m really glad I get to be the one beside you."

  They sat like that for a moment, in the soft light and hush of the afternoon, the only sound the hum of the computers and the distant drizzle against the windows.

  Then Ariel straightened. She took a sip of chamomile, tapped her notes, and looked at the monitor.

  The Zoom room was open. The little green camera light blinked on.

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  Abigail appeared outside the office window, her tablet clutched to her chest as she watched. She gave Ariel a confident thumbs up through the glass, then stepped back with a proud smile.

  Holly moved behind the camera, staying directly in Ariel’s eyeline. She didn’t say a word—just gave a soft smile and clasped her hands together with gentle encouragement.

  A moment later, the six interviewers appeared onscreen—each from a different gaming publication, each with their own distinct style and tone. There was the bright, casual host from Cozy Pixels Weekly; the sleek and skeptical journalist from GameCross; a fan-favorite writer from PixelCharm who specialized in developer features; and three more, each bringing their own angles and audience interests.

  Ariel greeted them all with polite, if slightly nervous, enthusiasm. The initial small talk was light and warm, and then the questions began.

  At first, Ariel’s voice was quiet but steady. She smiled when she needed to, nodded thoughtfully, and gave warm, insightful answers about Wispwood Haven's philosophy of community-driven design, the emphasis on emotional narrative, and the team’s creative vision. Her hands moved a little when she spoke, expressive and full of life.

  But then came the first curveball.

  "There’s been some chatter online about the studio’s rapid expansion," asked the GameCross journalist. "Some fans worry it could compromise the cozy charm of your first few projects. What do you say to that?"

  Ariel froze. Just for a second. Her eyes darted slightly to Holly.

  Holly didn’t move. She just raised her hand slowly and placed it over her heart, then took a single, calming breath.

  Ariel mirrored her. One breath. Then another.

  "That’s a fair question," Ariel said slowly. "And one we ask ourselves, too. Growth can be exciting, but it has to be thoughtful. We’ve made it a priority to protect what makes Willowbound feel special. That includes pacing our growth, protecting team culture, and, most importantly, never losing sight of the kind of stories we want to tell."

  Holly beamed.

  The journalist nodded, clearly impressed. "Beautifully put."

  The questions continued. Some were easy, like Ariel’s favorite crafting mechanic, or how the character art evolved. Others pushed deeper, like one from PixelCharm about how the team balances innovation with accessibility.

  Then came another sharp one.

  "Some of our readers are curious about how you manage stress, especially after your… difficult year?"

  That one hit deep.

  Ariel hesitated again. Her jaw flexed. But then her gaze drifted back to Holly, who simply mouthed: "You got this."

  Ariel looked back into the camera.

  "It’s not always easy," she said, her voice soft but clear. "But I’ve learned that healing isn’t about erasing what happened. It’s about building something beautiful on top of it. I have a team that supports me. I have a partner who reminds me who I am. And I’ve found that the best way to manage stress is to make room for joy, whether that’s in a cup of tea, a line of code, or a cozy night at home."

  Holly swallowed hard, watching her.

  The rest of the interview passed in a blur. Ariel was confident, funny, thoughtful. The six interviewers, each from a different corner of the gaming world, seemed to respond not just to her professionalism, but to her honesty.

  And as the call came to an end, one of them leaned back with a smile. "You’re the kind of developer who makes people believe in games again."

  Ariel’s eyes went wide.

  "Thank you," she said, cheeks flushed.

  The camera light went dark. The screen blinked off.

  And Ariel turned to Holly, stunned and blinking. "Did that just happen?"

  Holly launched herself at her, pulling her into a tight hug. "You were perfect."

  "I almost lost it."

  "But you didn’t. And even if you had, I’d still be right here."

  They held each other as the rain continued to fall outside, the soft glow of the ring light casting a warm halo over them both.

  The door opened behind them. Abigail stepped inside, her tablet still cradled to her chest, but her face was different now—softer, almost shining. Her eyes were glassy with emotion as she took in the sight of Ariel and Holly together.

  For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. Then she stepped forward and wrapped Ariel in a warm, heartfelt hug.

  "You did amazingly," she whispered. "I mean it. That was… Ariel, that was something else."

  Ariel, still riding the wave of adrenaline and disbelief, hugged her back, hard. "Thank you. For trusting me to do it."

  Abigail stepped back and turned to Holly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "And thank you for this. You're a natural at managing the press and setting Ariel up for success."

  Holly smiled, her voice catching slightly. "All I did was stand where she could see me. The rest was all her."

  The three women stood there in a quiet tangle of joy and shared pride, the overhead lights buzzing softly, the ring light still casting its gentle glow. Outside, the storm rolled on, but inside their little corner of the world, everything felt calm. Everything felt right.