After an extensive evening of fighting with Orion Black’s top laner the night before, this morning finds me ready for murdering fools. Good thing I have Sniper’s games to play before our last Gigavibe practice match before our tournament. It also happens to be the last few days before I log back over to Alaris to begin my trip to see the Duke of the region I live in.

  “Ham, you picked a weapon set yet?”

  “I have, M7, plus a Sig 38 and a Benchmade fixed blade. I was also encouraged to be our grenade specialist.”

  “Callie, good call wee beastie. Are you still rocking the Dragon?” I ask the youngest member of our team at 22.

  “No. I switched to the tech 12. Jenna said she’s got the spotter for the air to ground missiles, so I should have one. We practiced and I agree.”

  “Great, Fleek?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m the heavy with a shotty and a breaching tool.” She complains, but she’s using the legally modded chainsaw-based chain sword—modded with an M320 grenade launcher. “Are you just rocking regular gear still?”

  “Listen, bitch.”

  “OLD WOMEN!” Callie shouts over the headset. “I don’t know what kind of measuring this is, but you’re all bad bitches. Can we game now?”

  Silence on the headsets, but all of us hit ready to queue. Told to STFU by a teenager for great reasons: The Ultimate Shame.

  Nine games later and we’re rocking an 8-1 record, and attitudes are sky high.

  “Ladies.” I say, probably more forceful than needed. “Ham, too. We addressed our mistake, and we’re playing hot. We need to make this our new standard.” The chatroom groans. Hamster gives me a thumbs up. “Gen-l . . . sorry, Jenna, You need to go full asshole. Like seriously try to beat me at cheats and rude moves. You’re crafty and a beast level bitch. Use it, live it, help us win with it.”

  She hugs Fleek and cheers into the camera as though playing into team tactics was holding her back. It takes us a few games to adapt to goblin-mode Gen-lock, but with Fleek leading the assault and Hamster and Callie softening up hardened positions, our last few matches of the morning are simply glorious. This could be a tournament winning team.

  ***

  As much as I’d like to be in on a Sniper’s game, Ham and I are in a Giga pair, waiting on our Giga trio match with Callie-cub.

  “Ham, I’m going to need you to learn how to lie in the next 30 seconds. Pretend you don’t have cooldowns, or spend them and gain them more quickly, but we need a feint.”

  “We need Callie and her cooldown ability.”

  “NO! That’s not this game!!” He rolls in, fakes badly, and fucking dies.

  Alaris, I love you, know that all the swearing I’m about to commit is that I’m used to swearing at gods, not knowing them.

  I hide, I roam and hide. A ‘catch ‘em crown’ appears and I hold it for the required 90 seconds in the last region of the Battle royal and my partner springs to life. He steps a pixel out of hiding.

  “HAM! BLOW EVERYTHING.” I call an alpha strike from the dark, making them think he was solo. Opposite that I planned, but it works. Their carry is limping from his attacks, and I’m the fucking carry bay-bee!

  Slap, dash, your game ends with a slash bitches. I hit both of my opponents with my gravity maul and knock them into the passing train, zeroing their health out instantly.

  I sigh and slump in my chair, Ham gives me a thumbs up and gets up for a drink or a bio break, or something.

  An hour later, at the end of day two of the Gigavibe tourney, the 3v3 teams join the knockout round, where the top four teams of eight move on and the rest go home. I am so damned tired, I am so cross at Hamster for dragging me into this. The round robin stage was sixteen matches in different lobbies and the top sixty four teams advanced to the knockout stage. The final lobby, is another eight games, the highest point total wins.

  “Zhantsa, I swear to gaming that if you don’t live, I will find your capsule and slap your stupid face.”

  “If you want a date, girlie, just ask. Otherwise, pack your shit and game with advice, sweetie.”

  She fucking rages and as our support tank, wading into a massive team fight while allowing us to pick off the half dead damage dealers from the other teams. Hamster makes a sacrifice play to pinch the last team and we make the final 3v3 lobby as well.

  Damnit. I kind of want a break, but no way could I stomach throwing a game just for rest. Especially with Hamster and this sassy throat ripper relying on me.

  “The final lobby games are tomorrow, right? Please tell me they’re tomorrow.” I get up to grab an energy drink. I realize that the brand we have is also a sponsor for Orion Black so I shill, set up a shot of me drinking it and set the AI camera to take a dozen shots. Jessie has been on me for more shots, so I’m getting shots.

  “Yeah, Zhan, they’re tomorrow,” Callie says walking over for a water. “You were laying into Ham pretty hard there, something going on?”

  “Yes, but no. I didn’t know he signed us up for 3v3 as well, and I don’t usually burn this hard for this long.” I look over and see Hamster queuing up for an autochess match. I sigh, walk over and crouch next to him. “Sorry I’ve been a jerk for the last few days, man. I yap too much when I get tired and stressed and I shouldn’t take my frustration out on you.”

  He shrugs, “I did not like your tone, but with the exception of your call to sacrifice me, your calls are good. I would not bring this attitude to Fathoms of Fates.”

  My eyes go wide and I find myself nodding at his not-so-subtle suggestion. I stand up and retreat back to Callie’s position.

  “Crap. I’ve never seen him mad before.”

  “Yeah, you were being a bitch. Do something to get the anger out and bring the Zhantsa that Ham likes tomorrow.”

  “Want to grab a bite and a drink then?”

  “Wait, they have restaurants and bars in this place? What’s the point?” Callie scoffs.

  “Uh, flavor, fun, and mostly guilt-free indulgence?” This girl is intense, I wonder how her and Gen-lock know each other.

  Callie follows me to a bar a few streets over that has really great bar food, a bit pricy, but I apparently don’t need to worry about that.

  “Is everywhere this dead?” Callie asks.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Nowhere is ever busy, but I’m seldom the only person in this place. If you’re uncomfortable, you can bail.”

  “I mean, a little. I don’t really know you, and this weekend hasn’t made me want to know more. You’re a great player, but . . .”

  “I’m a bitch. I understand.” I sigh, flag the bartender and order an IPA. “It’s a bunch of things, and none of it is you. You’ve been great. I’m mad at Hamster for springing the 3v3 on me, and a little sour that he basically bullied me into a Sniper’s Folly coaching job and joining a team for a game I never intended to go pro in. I always just used the game to blow off steam, now it’s creating steam. I’m busier than I’ve ever been and I don’t know how to shed the pressure. Add onto that, I got fired this week and have like one more day to figure out how it affects the rest of my life, before I have to attend commitments in my other life in Alaris Eternum.”

  “Wait, you had a job that wasn’t gaming?” She sips something that smells fruity and sweet.

  “Yeah, I was a game and experience tester for Orion. I had a disagreement with an Executive and he fired me. There are some legal issues because it violated some of our contracts, but that’s a bunch of boring, second week as friends kind of convo.”

  “We’re teammates. I’d have to want to hang out with you to be friends.”

  “Ouch.” That dig does hurt, and manages to drive home how my attitude the last two days has affected her.

  I’m halfway through my stuffed peppers before I talk again. “Sorry again for my behavior, and thanks for coming out work with us. This is important to Hamster.”

  “Not to you?” She raises an eyebrow, ready to judge my answer.

  “I don’t know right now. I just found out that I don’t need to game for money, and now that I’m on my dream team in Fathoms of Fates, I feel less pressure to drive other games. How did you get involved in gaming, and in Jenna’s orbit?”

  She chuckles before answering. “Jenna came to town investigating some murders for the government, my dad was implicated and that’s how I met Jenna. I had a massive crush on her, so I tried to keep in touch as often as possible, and sometimes that was playing games she played.”

  I nod at that. “I definitely understand doing stuff to get close to a crush. Though, Jenna and Fleek seemed to be open to flirting, have you tried to work your way in there?”

  “Her name is Anastasia, goes by Anna, and no. We met when I was fourteen, and our lives haven’t really met at a point where we could be a thing. I can’t leave the Great Basin area for long, and she’s been on vacation slash exile in Europe for five years.”

  “Exile?! Damn, could that woman be more interesting?”

  “Surprisingly, yes. But like I said, we’re not friends yet, and especially not that close of friend.”

  I flinch that hit so hard. “Damn, I mean I deserve that, but it still hurts.”

  “Then don’t be gaping asshole.”

  I sigh, pay the bill via menus and say goodnight as I walk out. I’m up for talking it out, but laying into the insults is a bit too much for me.

  I text Lucy and ask if it’s too late to come over, she assures me it’s not so I head to her a place a few stops down the DLR and mug her with a hug as soon as she opens the door.

  “Rough day?”

  I nod. “I’m letting the stress get to me and it’s been making me mean.”

  “Is that why I smell beer on your breath?” I nod. “Hamster is mad at me, and my other teammate scolded me for my behavior, so I needed a bit before I came home. I don’t need to bring my attitude home to you.”

  “As long as you’re not wasting time you could be spending with me, I’m okay with it.” I look up to find her smirking at me with those oh-so-kissable lips.

  I stand on my toes to make it happen, but the kiss and her grip on my waist help something in my mind and the tension in my body I’ve been holding relax. “You’re amazing, Lucy. Thanks for being you.” I sneak a hand under her shirt to her side meat and sigh with the comfort it gives me. Lucy laughs.

  “I was finishing some paperwork for Monday, want to let me play with your hair while I review my work?” I could mention something about working this late on a Saturday, but I got off work only an hour ago. Instead, I’m excited for head pets and snuggles.

  “Yes please!”

  She takes my hand, leads me over to her couch and takes a seat. I curl up next to her and rest my head in her lap as she pulls up windows in her vision.

  “I’m hoping that after this legal stuff dies down, that I’ll see your name on my desk a lot less.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. Is Jessie going to get re-assigned?” I’ve been worrying about that for two weeks.

  “She hasn’t said anything about wanting to be. Even though you aren’t on Orion’s payroll, doesn’t mean you aren’t still a profitable asset. Her role will change a little, as she’ll have to work as your manager now instead of an assistant, but she was mostly doing that anyway. Chance, however, will no longer be working for you. Your little task for her got her some attention and a job offer.”

  “No way! That’s amazing for her. Now I need to figure out how to hire an assistant.”

  She boops my nose. “Ask Jessie. Though she works for us, her whole job is to help you make us money. Getting you an assistant that you pay to keep you on task is definitely in our interest.” She winks at me.

  “So, you seem to be diving into the HR work. Is this a career change I smell?”

  “Take your shirt off and I might tell you.”

  I sit up and fling it across the room. Do I need a reason to strip for my girl? Nope! Lying back down, she starts petting my belly and I wiggle with delight.

  “You are such a puppy. So cute.” I am not ashamed that I like belly pets, bring on the cute grin and the pets girlfriend! “After our lunch date, where we argued, your rant helped me realize that I don’t really like modeling. Being an influencer and a brand shill is kind of fun, but I really like helping and placing people in jobs that they want. Tie that with I have an attention for detail and I don’t mind paperwork, and suddenly I’m on the short-list for a promotion.”

  “Holy shit! Lucy, congrats babe.”

  “It’s not for sure, yet, but managing your fiasco is going to be points in my column.”

  “Good for us?” Question mark?

  She smiles at me, but snaps the band of my sports bra against my chest. I hiss at the pain.

  “It will be once this is over. I too have had to disassociate work from home as otherwise I would be frustrated with you constantly.”

  “Sorry.” I don’t want to be a hassle, especially for her.

  Her left hand roams from my tummy to my hair for a while, gentle and soothing touches that have me half asleep before she finishes what she’s working on.

  “When do you leave again?”

  “Monday evening. I’ll be attempting to jump back and forth to see how it affects me, so it won’t be two to three weeks before I see you again.”

  “Good. I also wanted to talk about us when you get back, but if I’m going to see you more often during your time there, then maybe now is okay?”

  Uh, what could she possibly want to talk about that would need me to be back to address? If she were breaking up with me, Monday would be perfect. Today would be awful.

  “We’re together whenever we have the chance, so, we should just live together, you know?”

  Oh thank goddess it’s this simple.

  “I do, and I agree. I hope that means you want to move to my condo in Surrey Quays.”

  She dances in her seat and grins. “I was worried. Oh god was I worried.”

  “Why? Have I given off bad vibes or something?”

  “No, no. It’s just it’s a big step, and we haven’t slept together yet, but . . . I don’t know. I feel like this relationship is all sideways, and unexpected. I felt a connection the first time we met, but then I couldn’t get your attention for months, now that I have it I’m super nervous about everything, and having sex with emotions is a big deal for me. Every time I feel ready, you are about to leave for a few weeks, and now I just want to be around you all the time, but we still haven’t slept together.”

  I chuckle at the tall, beautiful, nervous dummy. I sit up and kiss her softly. “Lucy, I feel the same. And if the sex is half as good as I think it will be, you’ll never be rid of me.”

  She grips my shoulders hard, her face serious. “What if it’s bad?”

  “What if I was a worm?”

  “What?” Her confusion is apparent.

  “Exactly. We’ve had sex before, Lucy, it was good then when we were just two people at a party. Knowing that I have the time to learn you, to get more of those hot reactions from you, there is no possible way our sex stays meh, even if it starts that way.”

  She flicks my forehead.

  “That is not a vote of confidence!” I just start laughing. “You think that’s funny?” I nod as I keep laughing. She starts tickling me.

  When we fall off the couch, we both squawk, but I turn the tides and start tickling her back. She squeals and then monkey hugs my whole body, pinning my arms down.

  “No.”

  “You started it.”

  “What are you, four?”

  “More like fourteen, and horny.” I surge down and bite her neck.

  “Selena Campbell!!” She shouts and shoves me off. Her face is red and she’s breathing heavy.

  She is so fucking pretty.

  “Did you leave a mark? Damnit Sellie.”

  “I didn’t bite you that hard, relax. If I leave a mark, it will be on purpose, and somewhere only I can appreciate.” I waggle my eyebrows and smirk at the return of her blush, telling me that she liked the idea of me marking her in socially appropriate ways. The bottom boob crease is my favorite place.

  “Still want to move in with me?” I ask, leaning back while sitting on top of her.

  “Are you okay with me changing the décor?”

  “If the first change is you living there, then absolutely.”