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LochNLoad

What can I say? I’m full of surprises. Your turn now, Sass. Fair’s fair.

SassyLassie

Nope! That was NOT the deal. The deal was you answer my question, and I give you the Claymore of the Clan Chiefs. So here you go.

I navigate through the game menu and initiate the item transfer.

LochNLoad

Cheers! You’ve just made my day. Though I can’t help but feel a wee bit disappointed that I don’t get to hear your kinky confessions.

SassyLassie

Ha! Sorry, but my secrets are staying secret. For now, at least . . .

LochNLoad

You know what’s weird? If I’d told someone that in real life, I’d be beetroot red right now. But with you, I don’t even feel embarrassed. It’s like . . . you’re a stranger and an old friend rolled into one. Does that make sense?

I know exactly what he means. The bond we’ve forged through countless hours of gaming together feels . . . significant. Aye, we may spend most of our time ribbing each other, but Lochie has also become my virtual confidant, a friend I trust implicitly, even though I’ve never seen his face or heard his voice.

SassyLassie

Makes perfect sense. I always suspected the mighty LochNLoad was a big softie, really.

LochNLoad

Softie? I prefer “emotionally well-rounded”. It’s all part of my charm.

A knock at the door jolts me from my virtual world.

“Maisie?” a familiar voice calls.

“Iona, is that you?” I grab my dinner plate and dump it in the sink. “It’s open. Come in!” Sliding back into my chair, I hastily type out a goodbye.

SassyLassie

Sorry, gotta go!

LochNLoad

Later, Sass.

I log off just as my friend Iona walks in, her blonde hair in its trademark messy bun, her puffin-print dress a testament to her love of animal-themed outfits.

She smiles. “There you are! Your da sent me up to fetch you. The pub’s heaving and everyone’s waiting for our quizmaster to show up. That’s you!”

I check the time and wince. “Shit, sorry. I didn’t realise it was so late.”

“You lose yourself when you’re gaming—kind of like how I get when I’m deep in a romance novel. Is this the Highland Legacy video game I’ve heard so much about?”

I’ve been returned to the title screen, where a gameplay montage showcases epic battles, scenic environments, and key NPCs. “Aye.”

Although not a gamer, Iona is a fan of the Highland Legacy TV adaptation, and I can’t help but remember the girls’ night last year when she and I spent a little too long dissecting it. Or, more accurately, dissecting the famous scene in which lead actor Ronan Dunbar bares all. We both owned up to rewatching that bit more times than we cared to put a number to. Now there’s a man who doesn’t need to compensate for anything with some oversized sword—not with the “natural weaponry” he’s been blessed with.

“You know, now that I’m seeing the game, it looks familiar,” Iona says. “I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Jamie play it.”