As Don walked back to his house, the rain started to pick up, each drop falling heavier than the last. He pulled his collar up slightly, trying to shield himself from the worst of it, but the cold, wet sensation seeped through his clothes regardless.
Just as he was approaching the front door, a system prompt appeared in his field of vision, catching his attention.
———
**Quest Complete: Create VR-FPS Character.**
**Reward: 5 Idol Points.**
———
Don ntally acknowledged the reward, though he couldn't help but feel it was a bit underwhelming. 'Five points, huh?' he thought to himself with a faint helpless smile on his lips. 'I guess it's all about compounding rewards. No point in being greedy when I've already got sothing that gives an edge.' He dismissed the prompt as he entered the house, shaking off the excess water from his jacket.
Inside, the warmth of the living room imdiately enveloped him, a stark contrast to the cold, dreary weather outside. He found Amanda already seated comfortably on the sofa, surrounded by an array of food and snacks laid out on the coffee table. She looked up from the TV as he entered and gave him a welcoming smile.
"Hey, you're back. I hope I didn't interrupt your fun?" she asked, her tone a bit light and teasing.
Don shook his head. "Not really. Donald and I were just passing the ti with so gas," he replied casually, moving toward the sofa.
Amanda's smile widened slightly. "Making friends already, huh?"
"I suppose," Don said with a noncommittal shrug.
"Well, go wash your hands and co dig in. I made so chicken, rice, and egg salad. Hope that's okay with your diet," Amanda said, gesturing to the food.
Don appreciated the consideration but quickly reassured her. "I'm not that strict about it. It's sothing I'm gradually building on." He knew there was no point in over-committing himself to a rigid routine. The less people expected from him, the more flexibility he had to maneuver.
Amanda nodded, satisfied with his response. Don took the opportunity to wash his hands before returning to the living room. As he sat down beside her, he noticed that the TV was already tuned in to the bikini mud wrestling match she had been looking forward to.
She seed engrossed in the spectacle, her eyes following the action on the screen with keen interest, though her expression lacked the excitent he had expected.
Don began eating in silence, his thoughts moving back to the earlier events of the day. He couldn't help but wonder if Amanda's subdued deanor was due to their near-death encounter on the farm.
Perhaps she was trying to put on a brave face for his sake. After all, if it weren't for his Unfazed trait, he might have been more shaken by the experience as well. It was in monts like these that he realized the true value of his traits, sothing he felt he had previously taken for granted.
As he continued to eat, Don's mind began to connect the dots. His Unfazed trait allowed him to remain calm in situations that would normally elicit strong emotional responses, and his Thinker trait gave him the ability to analyze situations deeply. It dawned on him that when dealing with others, he needed to avoid using himself as a baseline.
His traits made him an outlier, and he couldn't assu that others would react the sa way he did.
Lost in thought, Don didn't even notice when the match ended until Amanda patted him on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality. "You okay, Donnie? You've been staring off into space for a while," she said, her voice filled with concern.
Don blinked, looking at the now-black TV screen. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, handing her his empty plate. "Just got lost in thought."
Amanda took the plate and stood up. "Alright. I'll take these to the kitchen. You've been through a lot today."
As she walked away, Don noticed that the rain had lessened considerably. He decided to use this as an opportunity to take the Mustang in for a checkup. "I'm going to take the Mustang in for servicing. Tomorrow I might be too busy," he said, standing up and stretching.
Amanda paused and looked back at him with a hint of concern in her eyes. "Are you sure you want to go out again? It's still raining."
Don nodded. "I'll be fine. It's just a quick check, and I'll be back before you know it."
Amanda gave him a small, reluctant smile. "Alright, just be careful. Shelly's been sitting idle for a while."
Don assured her with a nod before heading to the garage.
The Mustang sat there, still covered in a thin layer of dust from its long period of inactivity. He approached the car and began a quick check, inspecting the oil, coolant levels, and battery connections. Everything seed in order, though he could tell the car hadn't been run in a while.
After confirming that the basics were intact, Don climbed into the driver's seat and turned the key. The Mustang rumbled to life, its engine growling with a powerful, albeit slightly stiff, roar. Satisfied, Don opened the garage door and carefully backed the car out onto the driveway.
Amanda had stepped out of the house, watching him with a mixture of nostalgia and concern. "How's she feeling?" she called out over the noise of the engine.
"A bit stiff, but she'll be fine," Don replied, giving her a thumbs-up before driving off.
———
A few hours later, Don found himself at a local service shop, talking to the chanic who was inspecting the Mustang. The shop was a no-frills, old-school kind of place with the sll of oil and grease perating the air.
Tools and spare parts were scattered about, and the chanic, a grizzled man in his fifties with a gray beard and a blue work shirt, seed to know his way around classic cars.
"This old girl's in pretty good shape," the chanic said, wiping his hands on a rag as he finished his inspection. "You'll want to keep an eye on the belts and hoses, though. They're showing so age. Might want to think about replacing them soon."
Don nodded, taking ntal notes of the advice. "Anything else I should worry about?"
The chanic shook his head. "Nah, nothing major. She's fit for the road. Just treat her right, and she'll treat you right back. If you want to make her even fitter, give a call. Here's my card."
Don accepted the card and glanced at it before slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks. I appreciate the help."
The chanic smiled and turned to head back to the office. "I'll get your receipt. Won't be long."
As the chanic walked away, Don's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a ssage from Sumr: *Hey jerk, can you pick up from school?*
Don raised an eyebrow at the ssage, though he couldn't help but smirk at the tone. He didn't reply imdiately, letting the request hang for a mont as he considered his next move.
'Perfect,' he thought. Picking Sumr up would be an excellent way to keep strengthening their relationship, especially since she was the one reaching out to him.
When the chanic returned with the receipt, Don thanked him again before making his way back to the Mustang. He took a mont to respond to Sumr: *On my way. Send your location.*
Satisfied, Don slid into the driver's seat, started the car, and drove off.
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