Chapter 30 The Real SconesOfAyor
thirty
the real sconesofayor
There’s a good chance this is a terrible idea. But it’s the only one I’ve got, so I’m rolling with it.
Marie helped me concoct and execute this plan, and we spent all day Sunday working on it. Gathering the receipts, as it were.
If people want to know the real SconesOfAyor, then I’m going to show them. I hope they’re all watching.
And I hope Damien is watching, too, because he might need to know this more than any of them.
When I start today’s stream, I’m more nervous on-camera than I’ve been in years.
Because this is nothing like my usual streams. Instead of screen-sharing a game, with a tiny selfie cam of me in the corner while I play, the whole screen is taken up by my face.
I don’t usually have to see it this big—I don’t particularly care for it, but it won’t be on-screen for long.
“Welcome, welcome, everyone,” I say to the camera, though I glance at my screen briefly to see how many people are watching.
A heck-ton. Good. “It’s finally Tea Time.
And before anyone freaks out, yes, I have disabled the chat for today.
Because I have a presentation for you, and I’d like you to watch the whole thing before you jump down anyone’s throat. ”
I switch to sharing my other screen again, only instead of a game, there’s a video ready to play. The title card is visible: Who is the Real SconesOfAyor?
“A lot of people lately have been curious about a certain Stones of Ayor streamer, and about me, by extension, because we’re dating.
” At least, I hope we still are. “There seems to be a lot of concern about him hiding who he really is, so I thought it was about time you all see for yourself what Scones is really like.”
I press Play and the video starts.
The first clip is from one of Damien’s streams about a year ago, where he’s pelting a swarm of gremlings with huge fireballs, and wincing every time because, according to him, this is overkill.
He’d spent all his levelling up to get his fireballs incredibly powerful, but then he lost all his gear down a well and now it’s his only method of attack.
And he feels bad about using such an overpowered move against a bunch of helpless little grunts.
A couple minutes later, it switches to another clip.
A different stream, a few months ago, where he’s roasting the game series for some of its more problematic elements, because he has no hesitation in admitting that it’s not without its flaws, including the gendered limitations of romanceable characters in early SOA games.
Another clip of him casually making jokes while his character’s health meter is nothing but a red sliver, and then laughing when he dies—for the third time on that stream. A warm, open laugh, like he doesn’t take himself too seriously and only cares about having a good time while on stream.
A clip from a few weeks ago, playing as Charles the vegan pacifist, where he’s avoiding combat because he’s trying to stay in character. He doesn’t mind being silly about it, but he still puts thought into his choices.
And from our first joint speedrun, when he defended me and said that I’m better at strategies than he is, when people accused me of cheating. Because he doesn’t think that being the most popular SOA streamer automatically makes him better than anyone else.
I have over twenty-five minutes of clips compiled, showing the many ways that he is kind and considerate and clever and funny and weird and awkward and sweet and welcoming.
And none of this was ever hidden.
“Look,” I say when I return on-screen, addressing the camera again, “when it comes down to it, Scones doesn’t owe you anything.
He doesn’t owe you his face or his name, he doesn’t owe you his personal life or his family drama.
And he doesn’t owe you the heart of who he is as a person.
He could put on a whole fake persona for his streams and that is completely acceptable.
“But I know him—I know Damien. And what you see in his streams, that’s all him. That’s the kind of person he is. That’s the stuff that matters. He’s not a fascist, he’s not a Conservative, he’s not a homophobe, he’s not a gatekeeping asshole. He’s just Scones.
“And you already knew that. But it seems like you needed reminding.”
With a nod, I say my goodbye and end the stream.
I don’t think I can stick around to deal with the aftermath of all of this, so even though it’s still pretty early, I turn in for the night.
Let this be a problem for Future Me.