Keyboard strokes and mouse clicks erratically come out of the devices of one lone person gaming on his computer, though the game on screen wasn't an FPS game, as most would assume. Fantasy characters with magic and swords flashily make their way through the level and then a quest failed screen appears when he failed to kill the final boss.
"Freaking unfair mechanics, what a waste of time." The voice that came out was neither squeaky nor deep, average overall. Lanky arms within a black-green checkered turtleneck stretch up and then down to touch his toes. "Enough game time Seth, animation practice mode."
Wearing a wool cap over his head, black headphones over the cap to make it less painful over long periods and still keep his head warm. Deep purple slacks hiding his thick thighs padded with more flab than muscle, and simple white socks.
Turning up the Lo-fi music and vibing to it, Seth begins his practice with a digital drawing program and using reference from the multitude of anthropomorphic animals existing in this world's internet.
"BRO!" A loud shout breaks the concentration of Seth, who turns with irritated eyes over to James. "You won't believe what they have here! There's a massive gym with all the weights I can use!"
"Is that really such a big deal that you have to scare me half to death, James?" Taking off the headphones from auxiliary to Bluetooth and standing up, Seth's 5'5 height didn't compare to James' 6'5. "Could have just messaged me about it."
James was a gym bro, while Seth was a geek. It was easier to tag someone with a stereotype and deal with them that way, as hurtful the stereotypes are. The thing is with James, he embodied the stereotype except for a few different points that made them compatible.
James wasn't a dull guy at all, and he was a good-looking and brawny 22-year old. Wearing stringers and shorts to show off his gains and loving the cold weather. Got into the University a good 4 years later than everyone else did, just the same circumstance as Seth.
"I can't, you'll just send an "Okay" message and leave me deflated. I know I am obsessed with the gym, it's my stress relief method you should try as well!" James was as excitable as a dog, funny enough when Seth was a canine and he was cervine. A deer.
Inside his head, Seth considered it. He wanted to be big like James, strong and brawny and yet so smart. Break all the stereotypical tags he had used so much to keep himself grounded. He was a geek, and geeks are always lanky. But this place changes people to make them happy, then...
"Your major was Animation and Game Design right?" James asks as he changes out of his workout clothes, tossing them into the hamper by the side of the toilet. "I'm planning on Nutrition so that I can be a certified personal trainer and get my own gym."
Nodding, Seth turns around and sets his laptop to sleep mode. "Admirable goal, I am planning to just make the big leagues of animation and make a new world inside the minds of everyone that watches it."
"Oooh, big dreams." James found himself stuck when his shirt snags the forming antlers on his head, "A little help here?"
"Sure, sure." Seth unsnags the fabric before it tears with James' struggle, still not used to it. "Next time be a little quieter, Doberman dog ears remember?"
"Hard to remember when you keep them hidden under your wool cap, bro." James finishes his dress up, a t-shirt with the motivational quotes of "Be yourself!" plastered at the front. "The antlers are going to be annoying to deal with when I need to wear shirts, I might need to file something to exempt myself from those and just wear button-up or just my stringer."
"You probably could, I didn't get out much from the room, anti-social geek and all. But I did see some hot anthros with large horns doing that." Seth grabs his bag from his bed and brought along his power bank and charging wire. Phone slipping into his pockets, automatically connected to his headphones to continue the music. "But I'm changing that here, you could help me I think?"
James grabs his satchel, grinning. "I am sure you need to join me in the gym, bro, and get some meat on the bones."
A little chuckle escapes Seth's mouth, thinking about it. "What, you're gonna be my personal trainer and make me your test subject?"
Eyes widening, James barks out a laugh walking to Seth and giving him a bro hug. "Good idea bro! I'll get you huge."
Unbidden, an image of a brawny and bulky Doberman anthro comes to the forefront of Seth's mind, arm on James' equally thick shoulders.
Smiling, Seth finds the idea pleasing. To have James as his big bro on campus, equally standing side by side. Unbeknownst to Seth, he imperceptibly grows an inch taller.