Our initial goal was to hit 500 thousand dollars. Everyone has blown our expectations completely out of the water. We’re just over 700 thousand already and that number just keeps on goingup. Plus, that’s without thinking about how much money we’ve raised from the auction.
“Holy shit,” Rin says, staring at the screen. “We hit the next milestone already? Fuck, you guys! You’re on fire right now!”
“Keep the donos coming,” I say into the camera. “If everyone just donates a tiny bit, it all adds up.”
Rin is the one to spin the wheel this time. “Huh,” he says softly when it lands on ‘audiobook stream’. “Okay, that’s not a difficult one! Y’all will finally have your sleepy stream you’ve been begging me for.”
“I’m reading smut,” I say right away and then immediately regret it when people start being weird in chat. “Okay, okay. Don’t say anything or the mods will get your asses.” Then I quickly add, “and no, not like that, you pervs.”
This goes on for a while before the hour is finally up. Our time is officially up.
Rin, Rodney, and I sit on the couch, looking at the screen, our hearts bare for everyone to see. Every year, this is how the fundraiser ends. We see how much our community has come together to do something good for the world and cry. This year, we’re surrounded byourcommunity, our real life one. Our pack.
We finally cut the stream after telling everyone how much this event means to us and thanking everyone for donating and being here. Then we all just sit on the couch, silent.
“Fuck,” I say, unable to stay quiet for too long. I feel so overwhelmed with everything I’m feeling. This was such a good event and I’m humbled every single year. It feels so good, knowing that people still care. That people are inherently good. “Holyshit.”
“Well said,” Azaad says from his place on the floor. Him and Wizard are lying on their backs, side by side, staring up at the ceiling.
“I think I need to sleep for a week,” Rodney says from behind me.
“We raised almost amilliondollars,” Rin says, his voice barely above a whisper from his place on my other side. “Holy fucking shit.”
Gods, that feels so unreal. We’re just a couple of guys who like making a fool of ourselves online. How the fuck do we have the power to pull off something like this?
“That’s gonna help so many people.”
“We can’t start crying again, you guys,” Gayle murmurs softly.
“This is gonna be really cheesy but I have to say it,” I force myself to say. I sit up and look around at everyone in this room. My roommates and best friends are beside me, along with their mates. Some of our closest mods came into town to help out and are here. Sullivan, someone from Maki’s volleyball team who I instantly clicked with when we met is also here. As much as I present myself as a prickly asshole and how much Iloathepeople getting actually close to me, these people are my people. They’re my family whether I wanna admit it or not. “I fucking love you guys. I’m glad I know you all.”
Rin wraps an arm around my shoulder, shaking me. “We love you too, you grumpy bastard.”
Everyone in the room makes noises of agreement. They love me too. Gross.
“Food and then giant nesting pile?”
“Hell yes! The perfect way to end the event,” Rin says with a giant grin.
We order a shit ton of pizza and eat it around the living room. Afterwards, we put away the streaming equipment before covering the entire living room with blankets and pillows. Rodney makes the biggest nest I’ve ever seen. Then we all find a place inside, snuggled up together.
Normally, this many people all crowded together would leave me with one hell of a migraine from the smell. Thankfully, I have a pill that helps suppress my sense of smell for times like this. It’s doing its job and I safely get into the nest without risking hurting myself.
I squeeze myself between Rin and Sullivan, my back pressed up against Rin’s. With what little sense of smell I have at the moment, I can’t help but think the room smells like pack, despite there being smells I’m not used to. I trust and care about all these people.
Pulling out my phone, I check my messages with Sookie. My stomach does a weird sort of twist when I think about the way he won that battle royale match. I’m gonna have to do an online date with him and I can’t decide how I actually feel about it.
Sookie: Nice job today. Make sure you wear something pretty for me on our date.
Gods, he’ssuchan asshole.
That’s why I like him.
Me: Of course, darling
“Did he text you?”
I quickly close out of the app and slip my phone under my pillow. Then I look into Sullivan’s eyes, knowing he sees way too much for me to actually lie.
