Who: Chase and Owen Where: The Game Room When: Around noon
It had been a good morning, relatively speaking, once the annoying hum had vanished to allow for a few hours of restful sleep. Chase's leg had lost its limp as he made his way down the narrow stairs leading from the bed to the main room, and he'd noticed immediately that the camera was missing from it's usual perch in the center of the ceiling. It had caused his heart to skip a beat, a momentary rush of victory, the idea that maybe the cost of replacing them really was getting to be a little much for Them. He saw the computer blinking just as his eyes had fixed on the folded object on the couch, recognizing it almost immediately. The blanket was as soft and warm as he'd remembered it, the gray, thick plush enveloping his fingers as he searched for the telltale cigarette burn in the corner. His blanket. Not a stupid replica. His. He'd hugged it like a long-lost teddy bear for several minutes, fighting down the questions that its appearance had caused. They had access to his apartment? His belongings? They knew what it was he wanted? It didn't matter for the moment.
The message on the computer relayed Their approval, and as much as he wanted to say that it hadn't pleased him, it honestly did a little.
He hung around on the network for a little while, marinating on the idea of going with Cecilia and her group of explorers, but realized that with his leg he'd either make the wound worse, or slow everyone down. He promised himself, and her, that he'd be available next time, though that really depended on what They had in store. Still, he took a few minutes to collect the bag he'd found, along with the notepad with his original map and details of where he'd been, and threw in one of the two pens for her.
He'd washed his clothes the night before, so having a shower and a chance to dress into something clean immediately afterwards felt like a reward on its own. His jeans were beyond salvaging, but the rest of the clothing had fared much better, dressing into his white tank top and the sweatpants he'd received the day of their physical test. He didn't bother with shoes or socks, though he'd thought about it for a moment. What if he needed to run? Escape? What if there was another test? He'd stood in the middle of the room afterward, as if not sure what to do next. He had privacy, comfort, and for once he allowed himself to feel the slightest tinge of security, more than he'd had in days. For the first time, he actually wanted to wander.
He'd poked his head out of the doorway by habit, glancing down the hall as his head covered the letters of his name scrawled into the door's surface, just as Cecilia had requested. He almost wanted to bring his blanket with him, even glanced back to eye it in contemplation before he carefully dropped the bag along the wall in the hall and closed the door behind him. He'd been downstairs a few times already, though he hadn't wandered far, but the idea of figuring out what exactly was above him drew his curiosity even more. That feeling stopped the instant he saw the game room. It was almost like heaven, a personal arcade room with comfortable seating and what looked to be anything he could have wanted as a gamer, particularly for the fact that he appeared to be the only one inside. He made his way to the television, crouching to inspect the consoles, the games, the gear. What he would have given for a setup like this in his own apartment.
Both of his eyebrows went up as his gaze locked on a familiar game box, tugging it out and sliding over to the xbox 360. He'd played the entire Mass Effect trilogy several times in the past, finishing off his last run through only a few months before. Everything about it was familiar. The console booting up, creating an account (username Biotic Space Hamster, just for the hell of it), and starting the game. It was like meeting up with an old friend, even as he settled onto the unfamiliar couch with his controller.
John Shepard. Default face (It only got more attractive as the series and graphics progressed). Spacer. War Hero. Infiltrator.
As the intro cinematics began, Chase was already figuring out how he was going to play the trilogy while he hummed along with the music. Paragon runthrough. First game, no romance. Save Wrex. Save Kaidan. Save the council. Make Anderson the earth representative on the Citadel. Remember to talk to Conrad Verner. Second game, no romance. Save all companions and crew. Third game, romance Kaidan. Hopefully the console had all of the DLC downloaded as well, but he wouldn't hope for too much.
It was the same gameplan he'd used for the majority of his own playthroughs, but perhaps that was the point. It was familiarity, meeting up with old friends, finding comfort in faces and voices he knew. A support group that didn't even exist. It was exactly what he needed, and by the time Joker and Kaidan were bantering back and forth on the bridge of the SSV Normandy the corner of Chase's mouth had turned up into a mild smile.