Match No. 1 (Dax):How long do you think you can go without checking in with our female? Care to explain yourselves? You're wasting everybody's time here!
Silence answered him still.
One second passed. Then another. A full minute slipped by, followed by a second. The group chat remained eerily still, as if every other participant had collectively vanished into the void.
Dax stared at the glowing interface, momentarily at a loss for words.
Rory, however, had anticipated exactly this outcome. Not even a flicker of surprise crossed her face. She reached out and gave Dax a light, reassuring pat on the shoulder, her tone calm and untroubled.
"They're probably tied up with something important. Don't overthink it."
She paused, then added casually, "I'm going to soothe Paros for now. You should take a break too."
