#on sight

“That means aim on point. Utility used smart. Stealth at minimum A1. And for the love of God, if you’re playing Sage, heal the team. Not yourself. I remember what you did, H3xW1tch. You’re on thin ice.”

Shortkinggg93: Ouu, I love when mami’s mad 🥵

Jujustwbrey: Drew’s so cuteeeeee and fluffy I’m gonna di3

Softriotssnbr1fan: @H3xW1tch is never gonna live that down lol

You pick up your blue-light glasses and adjust them on your face, settling deeper into your chair as the lights dim behind you. A moody wash of pink fills the room as Drew circles once before curling into your lap again.

“Okay, the server is open. First four in get the first thirteen with me.” You say, voice breaking into a laugh as the player slots fill instantly.

You rub your hands together. “Alright! Let’s get to it!”

The next hour and a half blurs by in a haze of chaos: back-to-back wins, your supporters arguing in your ear, the chat spamming memes anytime you clutch a round.

While things could get hectic, you loved playing with your supporters. It was one of your favorite ways to give back and connect with those who supported you.

“Aye! Ms.glommiefro thank you for the gifted,” you call into the mic, blowing a kiss at the camera.

The next batch of players had joined you. “Anything for you, Soft,” a girl chirps through your headphones, her voice bubbly and starstruck.

The new lobby loads. Everyone locks in their agents, you adjust your mouse sensitivity out of habit, and the starting round begins.

“Alright, riots,” you say, smiling. “Clean comms. Clean shots. No embarrassing me on stream. Please.”

Your team fans out across the map. It’s the usual chaos: someone forgot to buy a gun, someone else is loudly chewing into their mic, and you’re trying to focus while your cat rubs against your elbow.

Everything seems normal. Until it isn’t.

You swing a corner—

And instantly drop. A clean one-tap to the head.

The kill banner flashes:

GoldenJJK ➤ Softriot

You freeze and your chat detonates.

BbyGrlSniper: WHO??

ToxicLatte: BRUH WHERE DID HE COME FROM

kneecaps4sale: that wasn’t even a prefire he just KNEW

uwuSlayer88: soft I thought we agreed on A1 gameplay

angelic_menace: goldenjjk sniped u like he had a vendetta omg

You let out a slow blink. “Okay… who the hell is GoldenJJK and why is he built like a Final Boss?”

Next round.

You adjust. Hold a tighter angle. Use your utility this time.

Peek.

Dead again.

Same guy. He was too precise for your liking. And your pride.

ratking420: NAH THIS MAN HATES YOU PERSONALLY

mochamurder: Oh gurl ur cooked

glitterbanshee: pls report him for having the AUDACITY

uLookBetterOffline: Girl lock in wtf..

pinkkskullz: soft blink twice if u scared

Your jaw drops. “Alright, no. Nope. I’m not going out like that.”

You play smarter the next round. Fake a rotate, wait for his footsteps, slow peek the angle—

And catch him before he reacts.

Softriot ➤ GoldenJJK

You grin, cracking your knuckles. “Mhm. Balance has been restored.”

Chat loses its collective mind.

JooniesKnob: Riots on topppp

sagetrashcan: rivalry arc just dropped LET’S GO

hyuckslittletoe: oh we LOCKED IN

Ggukluvr97: you’re going down Riot, you can’t beat the King

c00chieconnoisseur: New duo unlocked?!?! Too soon?!…I’ll try again in a week😔

A new message pops up in all-chat, bright and taunting.

GoldenJJK: Is that all you got, softie??

Your eyebrows shoot up.

Softie? What the fuck is he on?

“Oh, he’s bold,” you mutter, scoffing as your chat immediately combusts.

bbygrlsniper: NOT “softie” 😭😭

kneecaps4sale: he flirting or fighting??

Frankssonn: Idk man…..I ship🤭

CrazyforSoftriott: Hold up cuz I just went to his stream and he kinda fineee

angelic_menace: girl he is ragebaiting you!!! don’t give in sista stay strong

Chromakopiaaa: @crazyforSoftriott care to share with the class? 🤓📝

Ignoring him, you speak to your chat. “Gear up everyone, you’re about to see me in rare form.”

And you mean it.

The next six rounds spiral into straight chaos. A full-blown duel between you and this mystery man while your teammates basically babysit the objective.

Your supporters think it’s hilarious.

You? You are one more death away from pulling out a rosary.

Every time you line up a shot—

GoldenJJK beats you by a split second.

Another kill feed flashes:

GoldenJJK ➤ Softriot

You slam your mouse down. “FUCK me!”

Drew bolts off your lap like you set her tail on fire.

“It’s okay, Soft,” one of your teammates says, voice deep and soothing. “You’re still a winner in my eyes.”

“Yeah, well,” you mutter, pouting, “tell that to the scoreboard.”

The next round begins, and you force yourself to breathe, rolling your shoulders back.

“Locking in,” you warn your team. “Nobody talk to me.”

This time you play it smart. Hold a quiet angle, bait a rotate, adjust your aim just before he swings.

Footsteps. A shadow. You fire first.

Softriot ➤ GoldenJJK

“VICTORY,” you roar, throwing your fist into the air.

midqueenforever: YEAHHHHHH WALK HIM DOWNNN

ratking420: Soft had to remind yall how she gets down rqqqq

WabiSabi4L: Don’t hurt emmmm

Dadihgobblr: I’m sensing a new mom and dad👀 is anyone else peeping this tension?!?!

Scoreboard or not, one thing is officially clear—

the two of you are now in a private war.

It all comes down to the thirteenth round. Match point. Winner takes everything.

You can feel your heartbeat in your fingertips.

You cannot lose.

Your pride will not allow it.

You move quietly through the map, taking the long route, clearing each corner with slow, deliberate flicks. You duck behind cover, finger hovering over crouch, breath held as you listen for footsteps.

This was your round.

Had to be.

But then another message pops up.

GoldenJJK: This was fun. Maybe we can do it again sometime?

You narrow your eyes.

But before you can type back, another message appears:

GoldenJJK: Or not. You’re pretty a$$.

Your jaw drops. “Oh, he’s a menace.”

And then.

A single, clean shot lands.

Your screen flashes LOSER, bright and humiliating, while your chat explodes and your teammates all start yelling at once.

It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion.

Your brain disconnects from your body.

There is no way that just happened.

You did NOT just lose to some freak who probably plays with aim assist.

“What the fuck,” you breathe, pulling off your headphones, ears ring. You stare blankly at your monitor, the defeat screen taunting you.

You hated losing more than anything.

Georgieee3: it’s ok Queen! you’re still a baddie with a fattie

Softriotsloverrrr_: you did so good bby gurl, let me eat you out & make it all better

Goldenggukswifeyyy: just joined to tell u ur trash! my man is undefeated🤪

JJKnmbr1fannn: oof that was tough to watch. maybe just give up next time.

Slimebro56: All I see is dihh riders in the chat man gtfooooooo

Prettiepinkkittykat: Did a little digging and no wonder he’s so good. This guy competes in tournaments all the time.

You try to keep up, but the chat is moving so fast it practically vibrates.

Still… one thing becomes clear:

this Golden guy? He’s definitely a streamer. And an asshole.

You’ve never seen him. Never heard him.

And after tonight? You definitely don’t want to.

But you shake it off. You don’t get to pout, not with thousands of eyes watching. “Alright, who’s ready for the next round?” you say into the mic, forcing brightness back into your voice as you return to the lobby.

The chat picks up and you take that as a good sign.

Softiestan420: WE RIDE AT DAWN

Riotkweenn_: hopefully he joins back, we need a rematch!!

DrewsFavParent: I’ve never seen Soft so fired up…I kind of like it

You laugh as you thank the previous players and open spots for the next batch, which goes strikingly better.

You’re in full flow: crisp aim, clean movement, clutch after clutch. By the thirteenth round your opponents fold like wet napkins, your team sweeping the match in seconds.

You take a sip of water and glance at the clock.

11:00 p.m.

“Alrighty, Riot Squad! It’s time for the final round!” you announce. “Last four in get the last dance with me.”

The server opens and the slots fill at lightning speed.

You read off the four names, greeting everyone who joined.

“Welcome in, Moniemist19, p0undcak3, creamyp3achhh, and…” your eyes scan the fourth slot, voice catching.

GoldenJJK: “What? Cat got your tongue?”

A deep, stupidly attractive voice rumbles through your headphones.

Of course. Of course he sounds hot.

You roll your eyes, scoffing. “I guess if you can’t beat ’em, join them, huh?”

“Mm, not exactly,” he says, tone smug enough to make your teeth grind. “As I recall, I sniped you last round. Which would make me the winner.”

Your jaw tightens. You fell right into that one.

“I just joined your server because it was open,” he adds lazily. “Now can you stop chatting and start the match? Some of us would like to play tonight.”

You stare at your screen, irritation simmering hot under your skin.

With a clipped exhale, you hit START MATCH.“Fine,” you mutter. “Let’s play.”

Your team spawns in.

And immediately—

GoldenJJK: “Alright, Softie. Don’t grief. Stick with me.”

You bark out a laugh. “Stick with you? Goldilocks, I don’t even trust you to hold a doorway.”

He clicks his tongue in your ear, low and smug. “Bold words for someone who died to me… how many times? Should I pull up the stats?”

Your mouth drops open. “Shut up and buy your abilities.”

“Make me.”

Another teammate clears his throat.

Teammate: mauiMaui: “Uh… can we focus? Maybe decide where we’re pushing?”

You switch to your tactician voice.

“Okay, we should rotate B—”

“No,” Jungkook cuts in instantly. “We rush A.”

You snap, “A is a death trap.”

“And yet you died on B last time, didn’t you?”

Your eye twitches. “Do you want to get muted?”

He laughs. Full-bodied. Warm. Infuriating.

GoldenJJK: “Relax, Softie. Follow my lead. I’ll carry you.”

The chat goes feral.

SoftRiotssimp44: OH MY GOD???

UwUpsilon: daddy energy detected???

kneecaps4sale: SHE’S GONNA SWING IN HIS FACE

angelic_menace: I can’t tell if they wanna kill each other or make out

bimbomercy: let him carry u queen it’s okayyyyy 😭😭

goldenGukkult: Soft your strategy sucks, listen to the pro!!!!

You pinch the bridge of your nose, inhaling through your teeth.

“I swear, if you call me Softie one more time—”

“Softie.”

“I’m not reviving you.”

“I won’t die.”

Round starts.

And of course, of course, you two actually play decently well together. Every peek, every cover, every trade is synchronized.

It infuriates you.

“Stop following me,” you hiss when he appears at your flank again.

“I’m covering you.”

“No one asked.”

“You’re welcome.”

pinkkskullz: THIS IS FOREPLAY

Sagetrashcan: soft ur CAMERA IS ON U ARE BLUSHING

mochamurder: enemies fear them, chat ships them

Then Jungkook hits a cross-map snipe like it’s nothing.

GoldenJJK: “See? Teamwork, Softie.”

You win the first round—but the rest?

The lobby turns into war.

By round six, you’re sweating.

By round ten, the enemy team is playing like it’s tournaments.

“Don’t push that—two holding long,” he warns.

“I can SEE the minimap.”

“Didn’t look like it when you died last round.”

“…excuse you?”

Rounds get messier.

Rotations collide.

You literally shoulderslam him going through a choke point.

“Stop running in front of me!”

“Move faster!”

“I WAS HERE FIRST!”

“Want a trophy?”

Somehow, miraculously, you scrape by with one win.

Then it’s match point. You breathe in. “We five-stack B. Overwhelm. Easy.”

GoldenJJK: “Default. We need picks.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Your strat sucks.”

“It works.”

“It DOESN’T.”

“Softie, listen—”

“No, YOU—”

Teammate: Lime: “Um… guys—”

“STAY OUT OF IT.” The both of say in unison, the round starting before you consolidate a plan. Great.

Half rush with you.

Golden lurks mid.

Everyone hesitates.

It’s a disaster.

Utilities blind half the team, two members get killed, and you end up cornered.

Headshot. Your screen grays.

Golden goes down seconds later.

Defeat.

A sickening silence passes through. All of them members in shock at how quite literally gave that set away.

Then his voice crackles through your headpiece.

“Told you default would’ve worked.”

You sputter. “I SWEAR TO—”

“Oh, but tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re insufferable!”

“You love it.”

Your soul exits your body. And then he logs out, leaving you sputtering at your screen.

You slump back and try to recover your dignity. This was too many losses for one night.

“Alright, Riots!” you say into the mic, defeated smile activated. “Thanks for hanging tonight! Stream’s short ’cause your girl has a flight to Cali for TwitchCon first thing tomorrow morning.”

The chat explodes with mixed emotions, some begging for another round, others sharing their hopes of running into you tomorrow. You loved their excitement, it was the best dopamine boost.

“I hope see you guys as well! Stay safe, drink plenty of water, and never forget, I love you enough to start a riot!”

You blow a kiss at the camera, “Soft is out!” With that you hit end stream.

Then groan into your chair cushions.

GoldenJJK can go directly to hell.

“Wow, girl, you are blowing up on X and Twitch right now,” your manager, Gabbie, says from the seat beside you.

You’re currently slumped in the back of an Uber on the way to TwitchCon, forehead against the cool window, trying to catch a few precious minutes of sleep before the chaos kicks off.

You grunt. This wasn’t the first time.

“No, seriously, look.” She attempts to show you but you clamp your eyelids shut tight. “People have been clipping your whole stream from last night. And this guy? GoldenJJK? He’s trending with you. You didn’t tell me you were doing a collab.” She nudges your arm excitedly.

You keep your eyes shut, unfazed. “Gab, I don’t want to see that prick’s face in any form. And it wasn’t a collab, that jerk ransacked my server and made me eat shit. I’m embarrassed so could we please talk about other things. Like what’s for lunch maybe, I’m starving.”

Gabbie doesn’t listen. She never listens. She’s a manager, fixated is her default setting. “But this is good! The fans are losing their minds. They’re already shipping you two. Maybe you should schedule a rematch? Strike while the iron is hot?”

You crack one eye open, dead-eyed and menacing. She rolls her eyes.

“Fine drama queen,” she sighs. “But if we run into him today, I can’t promise what I’ll do. The people want what the people want.”

“Oh yeah? Well this person wants a nap. And a Smoothid please. Preferably both at once.”

Gabbie snorts, typing away on her phone. “On it.”

TwitchCon is already buzzing, which you expected, as you pull up to the convention center.

Neon banners flap in the morning breeze, bass thumps from somewhere inside, and a line of badge-wearing attendees snake around the building. People vlogging, shouting to friends, comparing schedules. You’re fully prepared to wait an hour.

Yet surprisingly, your check-in process only takes five minutes.

The staff member barely glances up from her tablet. “Creator name?”

“Softriot,” you reply, bracing for a complication.

Instead, she lights up. “Oh! You! My sister watches you, she made me start too. One second.” She hands you your badge and special-access wristband with a wink. “Have fun in there.”

You blink. “Thank you so much, uh…that’s it?”

Gabbie pats your shoulder. “You’re poppin now, Queen. Act accordingly.”

Inside, TwitchCon hits you like a sensory tsunami, purple lights, loud music, cosplay wings brushing past you. The whole place hums with energy. Every direction you look, something’s happening: mini-tournaments, merch drops, meetups, people sprinting to panels.

Gabbie’s phone goes up immediately as she starts a livestream. “Alright Riot squad. For those at home, we’re bringing the party to you,” she says, turning the camera toward you. “Soft is officially in the building!”

You wave dramatically. “Hi riots! To all you guys who couldn’t make it, don’t worry! We’ll be live capturing the fun all day. So let’s get this party started! I’m so excited to meet some of you guys today!”

You manage all of thirty seconds before someone yells your name.

“SOFT???”

You turn, and a group of girls rushes toward you like you’re a Pokémon spawn. One’s clutching a plush keyboard, one already has the camera app open, and all of them look seconds from combusting.

“Oh my god, it’s actually you!” A young girl squeals. “We literally watched your stream last night!”

Suddenly you’re surrounded. Selfies, badge comparisons, shaking hands, excited fans, rambling about their favorite clips. It warms your chest.

You sign a hoodie. Pose for pictures. Compliment someone’s homemade Softriot shirt. One girl starts trembling so hard you gently hold her hands. “Hey, hey—you’re okay. I promise I’m just a human who loves video games as much as you.”

She wraps her arm around you and you hug her tight. But when you go to release she’s latche in place, so determined to stay her parents have to drag her off.

You exhale. Phew.

You’re almost to your table when another group intercepts you, this time a pack of teens with energy levels bordering on feral.

You take pictures with them, sign the front of their shirts, and as you finish scribbling your name on the last one, the boy wearing it pipes up.

“Riot, how could you let GoldenJJK defeat you like that? You were so goated.”

Were? You open your mouth to defend your honor, but one of the girls rolls her eyes, cutting him off.

“I already told you it’s fine, Jake. Golden is her boyfriend. They probably let each other win all the time.”

Your head jerks up so fast you almost pull something. You glance at Gabbie, who is grinning like an absolute menace.

“Woah, woah, woah,” you say, holding up your hands. “Guys, Golden is not my boyfriend. I don’t even know the dude.”

The girl gives you the flattest look imaginable. “Yeah right. We all know a lover’s quarrel when we see one.”

Your jaw drops as the teens stroll away like they didn’t just throw a Molotov at you.

Kids these days.

By the time you reach your meet & greet booth, the line is already wrapped around the velvet ropes, and growing. Your logo hangs behind the table on a giant banner, merch your team prepared lined up behind the counter. A few staff members look both excited and stressed as they count how many fans are piling in.

“That’s all for me?” you breathe.

“Told you,” Gabbie says. “You’re blowing up.”

The meet & greet flies by in a blur—photos, autographs, hugs, handmade gifts, bracelets, fanart shoved into your hands.

Fans tell you how your streams help them through finals, breakups, bad days, lonely nights. A few cry. A few parents come up saying they watch you too. Someone even gifts you a custom Softriot keyboard.

Gabbie is recording everything, rotating between all your accounts to make sure fans who couldn’t attend feel included.

Your cheeks burn from smiling. Your throat aches from talking. Yet, your heart feels so full it almost hurts.

You hang around the convention floor for a couple more hours after the meet & greet, weaving through booths and photo ops, stopping every few steps because someone recognizes you.

You catch up with mutuals you’ve only ever interacted with online, streamers whose energy jumps off the screen, and OG creators you’ve admired for years.

Eventually your feet start protesting and the adrenaline fades, so you and Gabbie slip out and head back to the hotel to recharge before tonight’s event.

You’ve been formally invited to the Twitch after party, where creators from all niches unite for a night of relaxation away from the camera. Apparently big brands ranging from Nintendo and Xbox to Cannon and Google will be there doing demos and giving away sneak peaks.

Usually, only established creators get an invite to events like this, so the fact that your name is on the list feels surreal.

A year ago, your brand was barely more than a hopeful dream, streamed from a messy bedroom in your grandparents house. Now you’re being invited to an event with the industry’s heaviest hitters.

You still don’t fully understand how everything took off so fast, but you’re endlessly grateful to the people who made it happen. Your community put you in rooms like this. And you intended to make every second count.

Sitting in front of the vanity, you read your chat while you do the finishing touches on your glam, amused at their unhinged predictions.

riotbabydoll: YOU LOOK SO PRETTY WHAT’S THE OCCASION 😭😭

gamergrl420: soft where u going?? who u seeing?? spillllll

skskkkskfangirl: Does Soft have a date with GoldenJJK??? HELLO??? IM PREDICTING IT FIRST

Softriots_wife: what’s the moves?!?! I’m tryna pull up!!

BaronessofBark: STOP INTERRUPTING HER GLAM SESSION LET THE QUEEN BREATHE

pixelkrush: why do her cheekbones look illegal today??

You laugh. “Sorry guys, I can’t share details about this event, but just know it’s big.”

That only excites them more. The chat moves so fast the words blur into mayhem.

You stay live for another thirty minutes, chatting and hyping them up, before finally ending your stream. You refuse to be late to an event like this.

The dress code is casual, so you go for elevated streetwear. Something comfortable but still presentable in case you have to stay light on your feet. Gabbie helps you unravel your heatless curls, the soft blowout framing your ebony face perfectly.

“Are you excited for tonight?” she asks, fluffing your hair.

You shoot her a pleading look through the mirror. “Yeah, but I’d be more excited if you were coming with me.”

She doesn’t budge. “You’ll be fine. Besides, my man is in town, and I am not getting cockblocked again.” She gives you a stern look.

“Fine,” you groan, sulking dejectedly. She’s right, Gabbie is always prioritizing her work (you) over her social life. She more than deserves a night to herself.

Once you’re ready, she grabs her purse. “Only call me in an actual emergency. Otherwise you might hear something you don’t wanna.” She says, giving you a pointed look. “Love you. You look amazing. You’re gonna kill it.”

She blows one more exaggerated kiss before slipping out the door, leaving you to your lonesome.

When the Uber pulls up, you head downstairs and slip into the backseat of the SUV. Watching rows of palm trees blur past as the California sun sinks low, tinting everything gold. The city feels calmer at this hour. Still alive, but not as loud.

Traffic crawls just slow enough for you to rest your eyes, and by the time the car turns onto the event street, you’re more refreshed than before.

The building isn’t flashy, but it’s unmistakably the place to be tonight: soft exterior lighting, tall glass windows, and a minimalist banner with the Twitch logo fluttering gently in the evening breeze. Creators mill around outside, chatting in small clusters, lanyards swinging.

It feels…inviting. Manageable.

You thank your Uber driver and head inside toward check-in. A staff member hands you your lanyard and, to your delight, a hefty goodie bag stuffed with gadgets and creator merch.

The moment you enter the main hall, your breath catches. The space is stunning, far more relaxed than the buzzing convention floor from earlier.

Moody, cool-toned lighting washes the room in waves of violet and deep blue, reflecting softly off glass surfaces and polished concrete.

Clusters of lounge seating break up the space, each one filled with creators sunk into modular sofas, laughing and comparing gear. A cozy bar sits tucked in the far corner, its shelves glowing under soft backlights.

There’s a small dance floor, a stage set for announcements later, and brand exhibits scattered throughout the room. Nintendo, Xbox, Steam, Canon, Adobe. All sleek and interactive.

Your eyes widen when you spot the Switch 2 demo station.

Thank God you wore tennis shoes. You couldn’t wait to test that out.

You look around, trying to decide where to head first when you hear your name.

“[+]! Over here!”

Glancing over your shoulder, you spot Shei and Mathew waving enthusiastically from a small cluster near the bar. You smile and weave across the room, Shei pulling you into a big hug.

“There you are,” she beams, her smile bright enough to light the room. “I was hoping you’d show. I missed you earlier.”

You match her energy easily. “Like I’d miss something like this? And I’m glad I came—it’s so good to see you again.”

You hug once more, laughing as you pull apart.

Then your gaze shifts to Mathew.

You offer him a polite, slightly stiff smile.

While you and Shei were rising streamers in the gaming world, Mathew was already a well-established lifestyle streamer.

And someone you used to date.

It had started great. Joint streams, cute baecations, a whirlwind romance. But eventually, you realized he was more in love with the content than with you. More invested in clips than connection. So you ended things.

“Waddup,” he says, lifting his glass a little. “You look… really good, [+].”

“Thanks,” you reply briskly, crossing your arms. “You too” hangs on the tip of your tongue but you hold it back, not wanting to inflate his ego.

Irritatingly, it wasn’t a lie. Mathew had always been attractive. Rich brown skin, thick brows, long locs waving at his shoulders. The chain he wore glistening as bright as his pearly whites smiling down at you.

He definitely only seemed to be growing more and more attractive. Which was unfortunate considering his clout-chasing ways.

Before the awkwardness can settle too thickly, someone calls out to Shei from across the room.

“Shei! You’re needed over here!”

Your heart sinks. Great, now you’re stuck with him.

She winces apologetically. “I’m so sorry, babe. Hopefully I’ll run into you again before the night ends. If not, text me, we’ll grab drinks before you leave.” She’s already halfway gone before you can respond.

You huff a quiet laugh to yourself and ease onto one of the bar stools.

“Damn, don’t look so disappointed [+], it’s only me,” Mathew says sliding onto the stool beside you.

The bartender approaches, smiling politely. “What can I get you?”

Before you can answer, Mathew does.

“She’ll take a Shirley Temple— extra ice.”

Your eyes snap to him.

The bartender pauses, waiting for your approval.

Smiling tightly, you give a small nod, and he walks off.

“How you been?” Mathew asks, knee brushing against yours like he’s testing boundaries you don’t want him near.

You shift away, subtle but intentional. “Good. You?”

“Oh, I’ve been great! Partnerships rolling in, Streamathon scheduled next month, just signed the papers for the new condo. Life is sweet.”

He says it with that same cocky smile that used to charm you and now only irritates you.

“Well, until I saw my beautiful ex flirting with someone else on the internet. The audacity was kind of crazy considering we’ve only been broken up for six months.”

You blink at him, brows furrowing. Of course he went there. Classic Mathew. Never taking accountability, but always taking offense.

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding! Jeez, loosen up. Hell, I mean it was a little hard to see, but I’ll get over it. No hard feelings.”

You could feel your anger beginning to boil, but you weren’t going to let him take you there. Not at an event, where there were eyes on you.

Still… the double standard is insane. Not even days after the breakup, Mathew was filming content with girls he told you not to worry about. Cuddled up, suggestive flirting. Just no respect for you at all.

And now he’s salty over a dating rumor with a guy you weren’t even in the same room with.

But you don’t feed into him. Instead, you pull out your phone for the first time all day. Notifications flooding your lock screen, every app demanding attention.

Did the stream really go viral?

You scroll through the endless videos taking over your FYP, blinking in disbelief.

Who the hell is this JJK guy?

You haven’t really had the time to check, being that you were occupied all day and sparingly using your phone to read the chat, so all of this was news to you.

You tap on his Twitch account, curious to see who your alleged boyfriend is.

The profile picture isn’t too revealing, just a close-up of eyes focused on a screen, the glow highlighting his lashes. But the thumbnails?

Yeah… that tells you plenty. You can clearly make out an absurdly attractive Asian guy. Sharp jawline, soft mouth, tattoos peeking where sleeves slip.

Your eyebrows lift.

Hm. Not your usual type, but… not bad. Not bad at all.

If he hadn’t been such an annoying prick last night, you might’ve entertained this little ship the internet is trying to sail.

“Damn, it’s like that?” Mathew says beside you. “You’re just gonna ignore me and show off your new fling? How long will you keep him, four months?”

Okay. There’s only so much of this nonsense you can take.

You stand abruptly and grab his arm, pulling him toward a secluded spot by the restrooms. A small balcony overlooking L.A.

If you weren’t about to tear into his ass, you might’ve taken a moment to actually appreciate the city at night.

“What the fuck is up with you?” you snap, keeping your voice down. “Why are you acting like a child? We’ve been broken up for months, and suddenly you have all these slick comments.”

He smirks, which only riles you up more.

“This isn’t funny to me,” you go on. “I don’t even know the guy. And even if I did, why the fuck would it matter?”

You’re doing everything you can not to yell, not to completely lose your cool.

But if Mathew doesn’t wipe that smug look off his face soon, you’re liable to smack him.

Gabbie wouldn’t like that. At all.

“Why did you break up with me?” he asks, and you sigh, exhausted.

Not this again.

“I feel like a broken record, man. Fuck.” You drag a hand through your hair, feeling the wind tug at your curls.

“I’m not explaining this to you again. We weren’t a good match. End of story. Our priorities didn’t align, and I deserve to be with someone who doesn’t treat my love like something transactional.”

“Was I really that bad?” he asks, incredulous. “I mean, we were both making money off our collabs. Good money.”

Your patience thins to a thread. This is not what you came here for.

“You only wanted to be affectionate when the camera was rolling. The only time you made space for me was if we were streaming. It was exhausting.”

“[+], it’s our jobs!” he snaps, voice suddenly too loud.

You step back instinctively.

He exhales and rubs his forehead. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled. I—”

“Just leave me alone.” You turn away, bracing your arms on the balcony railing.

“C’mon, baby, I—”

You flinch at the pet name, and that finally shuts him up. He hovers behind you for a beat, then retreats in defeat.

“Fine. I’m out.”

His footsteps fade down the hall, and relief washes through you all at once.

Great. You’d been on such a high all day, and he just had to take a gigantic shit on your parade.

You stare out over the city, watching cars slice through traffic, breathing until you feel steady again. You could not let that asshole ruin your night.

A few minutes pass. You fix your hair, straighten your clothes, wipe away the tension gathering under your eyes. You’re almost ready to head back inside when you feel it.

The prickling weight of someone’s gaze.

L.A. may be notorious for its serial killers, but if someone was planning to stab you tonight, you swore you’d go down swinging.

You turn around slowly—

And nearly freeze.

Someone stands in the doorway.

Not just anyone.

Him.

GoldenJJK.

You blink, not expecting to meet like this. You truly didn’t have the energy to argue with another man, so you hoped he wasn’t on any b.s.

He startles a little when you notice him. Eyes widening as he shifts his weight, like he can’t decide whether to step toward you or retreat.

“Uh—sorry,” he says, voice smooth and much deeper than you remember through your headset. “I didn’t mean to pry. I just heard yelling and wanted to make sure he wasn’t bothering you. I swear I wasn’t eavesdropping.”

The thumbnails from his videos don’t do him justice.

He’s taller than you thought. Jaw sharp enough to spite you, eyes soft enough to undo you. His dark hair falls messily over his forehead in waves, and when he folds his tattooed arm across his chest, the ink disappears under his sleeve like it has secrets.

You’re thrown off by how concerned he looks. A part of you expected the same shit-talking menace from last night.

A small, surprised smile tugs at your mouth. “Yeah, I’m good. Sorry you had to hear that. My ex is… a lot.”

He opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again. “Sorry, this is awkward but, are you…?”

“SoftRiot,” you say at the same time he does.

You both laugh, and you tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. “Yep. That’s me. The girl you obliterated on Valorant and apparently have dating rumors with now. It’s been an eventful twenty-four hours.”

He nods, expression tightening sheepishly. “Yeah. I didn’t think all this would blow up from me joining your server. And I promise I wasn’t clout-chasing. I… actually didn’t know who you were before today.”

You wince dramatically. “Ouch. So I’m terrible at Valorant and irrelevant? Damn. Maybe it’s time to look into a new career path.”

His eyes go huge, and he takes a step forward like he physically needs to fix it.

“No! That’s— I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just not super plugged into the community.”

You laugh, shaking your head. “I’m just messing with you.”

Then you extend your hand, offering him a real smile. “I’m [+]. Nice to meet you.”

He looks at your hand for a second, long enough that you briefly panic he’s about to leave you hanging, before he finally slips his hand into yours.

“Jungkook. And likewise.”

His grip is firm, warm. His hand completely engulfing yours, and your heart does a stupid little flutter it has absolutely no business doing.

You pull back quickly, trying (and failing) to hide the tiny shiver that runs through you.

His brows lift. “Are you cold? We can go back inside.”

Before you can answer, he steps back toward the entrance, holding the door open for you. Gentleman. The comparison to last night rocking your world.

You follow him inside, the low hum of music and conversation washing over you again. The lights are softer now, the room buzzing with easy energy as the afterparty hits its peak.

A Twitch exec is speaking onstage, spotlight bathing him in violet. Without really planning it, the two of you drift closer, falling into step side by side as the crowd settles to listen.

The speaker is droning on and on, thanking sponsors and rattling off numbers, so you let his voice fade into background noise. It’s much easier to focus on not getting caught sneaking glances at Jungkook.

You fail, obviously.

He catches you mid-look, brows lifting curiously.

You shake your head quickly. “It’s nothing. I-I was just wondering how you found me back there?”

And how long you watched.

“I was coming from the restroom and I heard yelling. More so his voice, so I decided to stay close by just in case.” He says looking off into the crowd.

You nod, absorbing that.

A small silence settles over the two of you, the comfortable kind… until you both open your mouths at the same time.

You immediately laugh, motioning for him to go ahead.

“I, uh…” He scratches his temple, eyes flicking to you then away. “I didn’t really have time to look, but what kind of content do you film? Other than Valorant?”

You perk up instantly. “Oh! Any video games, really. Whatever’s trending mixed with my personal favorites. I’m strictly a gamer.”

“Same.” He nods, giving you a brief glance before looking away again. “I mean—sometimes my chat begs me to do cooking content, but other than that I stick to gaming.”

You laugh, already imagining him in an apron, sleeves pushed up, messing around with a pan. You’ll definitely be searching that up later. “That actually sounds fun.”

He brightens at your reaction, shoulders relaxing, about to say something else when a voice cuts in.

“So sorry to interrupt this synergy brewing.”

A woman steps in with a professional smile, badge already held out. “I’m Ari with Tarsier Studios. My team and I are huge fans of both of you, and we’d be honored if you’d come play test a demo of our upcoming game. It’s a co-op survival horror.”

Jungkook’s brows lift. Yours probably do, too.

Sure, you two were trending today, but you weren’t big creators. Not the type studios like Tarsier usually scout for early demos. So being invited to play test an unreleased game?

Huge.

You’re definitely not passing this up.

“Of course!” you reply, maybe a little too fast. You clear your throat, trying to play it cool. “I mean, I’d be honored.”

You glance to Jungkook and he shifts awkwardly before nodding. “Same, It Sounds cool.”

Ari beams, clearly pleased. “Great! Follow me, then.”

The crew gets the two of you situated in a booth, explaining the game and controls. Apparently the two of you were some of the few gamers to play test the game, so they wanted to record your raw reactions to include in the promos.

Gabbie is going to love this.

Your tiny characters load onto the screen, wearing disheveled clothes and makeshifts mask. You immediately feel immersed, the moody scenery and side-scroll camera angles replicating the Little Nightmares atmosphere you’ve grown to love.

Jungkook leans forward, elbow accidentally brushing yours. “Oh, this looks sick.”

You hum in agreement, thumb gliding over the controller as you test the movement.

The first few minutes of gameplay are smooth sailing. The two of you trying out teamwork features, finding Easter eggs, and exploring the map.

It’s once you begin the first puzzle that the Jungkook you met last night comes out.

You miss the jump and fall to your death for the third time.

Jungkook clicks his tongue. “Why are you jumping so early? You have to wait until you’re right on the edge of the platform.”

You groan dramatically. “I am waiting. But the block I’m carrying is literally twice my size. It’s obstructing my view.”

He mutters something under his breath, half annoyance, but smirking, and you burst out laughing.

Next, it’s his turn to fail.

You’re on opposite ends of a giant rusted door, trying to match a sequence of chimes to unlock it. All he has to do is mirror your pattern.

But Jungkook keeps forgetting the last note.

After his third wrong input, the door slams shut again.

“Dude, come on, it’s not that hard!” you call out, laughing so hard you can barely breathe. Somewhere behind you, a camera shutter clicks, and you pray they didn’t capture your gremlin face mid-cackle.

“It’s loud as hell in here!” he fires back, exasperated and squinting at the screen like that’ll help. “I can hardly hear the shit.”

He hits the sequence again. Wrong.

The door resets with a mocking clang.

You wheeze. “Oh my god, you’re actually terrible.”

“I could say the same thing about you, butter fingers.”

You gasp. “I’m not use to the controls! What’s your excuse? You play on this console all the time.

He finally matches the sequence, his character sliding under the door just before it slams shut.

“Finally,” you tease, right as the floor gives out beneath your character. You drop straight through a patch of rusted wood with a startled, “Fuck!”

Jungkook’s laugh is immediate and obnoxiously pleased.

“See? You’re so busy worrying about me, you can’t even watch where you’re going.”

“Oh, shut up,” you grumble, respawning in a dim, grimy room below him. “I hope whatever monster is down here eats me so I don’t have to listen to you.

He snorts. “Relax, I’ll come get you.”

“You have to,” you shoot back. “Co-op, remember? You’re nothing without me.”

“Oh yeah?” he challenges, guiding his character along a creaking catwalk. “Pretty sure I carried those first puzzles.”

“Carried? Do we need to go back two minutes to when you were losing to a door?”

“Okay, but in my defense,” he argues, “I couldn’t hear over your hyena laugh.”

Someone behind you snickers and you glare at Jungkook. He looks more than pleased to have silenced you.

He reaches a ladder and begins climbing down toward your character. “Okay, damsel in distress, your hero is here to save you.”

“Congrats,” you deadpan. “You want a cookie?”

“That would be n—woah—”

His words cut off as the wall behind your characters explodes, a massive creature bursting through. Long, distorted arms swipe at you both as the chase begins, the hallway ahead dim and claustrophobic.

You fumble with the controls, barely slipping out of the creature’s grasp as Jungkook’s character takes off without a backward glance.

“Wait!” you scream, half laughing, half actually terrified, as your character scrambles over debris. Your panic earns a low chuckle from Jungkook.

“Keep up!” he taunts.

“You abandoned me!” you accuse breathlessly. “What happened to ‘hero saves the damsel’?”

“That was before the demon spider-thing popped up,” he counters. “Survival instincts kicked in. Sorry!”

“You’re not sorry!”

“Not even a little!” he laughs, just as your character trips over a pipe and you shriek again.

Miraculously, the two of you make it to a safe zone, your tiny avatars leaping out a window just as the monster’s claws scrape the ledge.

And then, darkness.

The screen fades to black, DEMO COMPLETE appearing in bold white text.

You exhale, clapping your hands in pure excitement. “Wow. That was amazing. I’m one hundred percent buying the full game when it comes out.”

Ari practically glows. “That’s so great to hear! Thank you both for giving us some time tonight. Do you mind if we grab a quick photo?”

You nod, glancing at Jungkook. He gives an easy smile. “Sure.”

The two of you move to the center, the dev crew crowding around. You squeeze in, body angled toward Jungkook without thinking. His hand hovers at your lower back respectfully

The group shifts closer for the picture, someone accidentally knocking his arm and suddenly his palm is touching you. Warm and steady.

The moment the shutter snaps a decent shot, his hand disappears. The heat he left behind lingers, stubborn and impossible to ignore.

You force a small breath, shaking off the butterflies threatening to swarm your stomach. It was just a graze. Barely that. No need to overreact.

After thanking the reps again, you exchange contacts and step out of the booth, drifting back into the crowded aisles with Jungkook at your side.

For some reason, a thin layer of awkwardness settles between you. Neither of you saying much as you wander down the walkway, weaving past booths and glowing displays.

Luckily, your eyes catch a familiar setup at the Nintendo station, and you instantly perk up.

“Ouuu,” you grin, already making a beeline toward it.

Jungkook’s competitive smile returns, the tension breaking like it was never there. “I bet you couldn’t beat me in Smash,” he taunts.

You roll your eyes, grabbing a controller with zero hesitation. “Please. Don’t embarrass yourself in front of all these people.”

That sparks a full-on rivalry between you two, hopping from booth to booth, challenging each other in anything with a controller, joystick, or motion sensor. It becomes your own little tournament, trash talk getting louder with every win and loss.

You don’t even notice how late it’s gotten until you’re wheezing after a round of Just Dance, hands on your knees as you look around at the now-sparse crowd. Most creators have already dipped. And you, like everyone else, have another full day of TwitchCon ahead.

“Hell, yeah! Look at that,” Jungkook crows triumphantly, chest puffing up as his score flashes, two points higher than yours.

He’s way too smug about it.

“That’s because you cheated,” you huff between breaths, gathering your things. “You have terrible spatial awareness and was dancing all in front of me, I couldn’t see the upcoming moves.”

He huffs out a laugh, shrugging into his jacket, “Yeah right, Softie.”

The nickname catches you off guard. He had been referring to you as [+] the whole night, so the switch up through you off. It almost sounded endearing.

You shake your head, no way.

“I told you it’s Soft, period.” You recover, walking up to him. “And it was nice hanging out with you, I’m glad we got to meet. But I should probably head out to catch some Z’s before tomorrow.”

You outstretch your hand and he takes it without hesitation this time, grip firm.

“Same here. Uh, make it back safely ok, maybe I’ll see you tomorrow for day two?” He asks, scratching the back of his neck.

You can’t help the smirk that tugs at your lips. Dork.

“Yeah. Maybe. Have a good night.”

You walk off, not missing the soft “You too,” from Jungkook as you disappear into the night.

Day two turns out even more chaotic than the first. You’re in and out of tournaments, panels, meet-and-greets, sponsor obligations. Basically anything Gabbie decides is “vital exposure.”

You’re so booked and busy you don’t even cross paths with any of your mutuals, much less Jungkook.

The rest of the trip speeds by like it’s on 2x playback. Meetings, brand dinners, collabs… it all blurs into one long, overstimulating reel.

By the time you’re finally back home in Miami, curled up with Drew answering a shit ton of emails, you feel like you’ve lived three different lifetimes.

You loved the trip. You really did.

But you would be perfectly fine never attending another convention for a year.

After hitting send on the final email, your thumb hovers over the power button, body already tipping toward exhaustion, when a notification slides across your screen.

Tarsier Studios mentioned you in a post.

You perk up immediately, tapping it open. The post is a photo dump from TwitchCon, booths, crowds, gameplay clips, candid moments. You swipe through until the third slide stops you cold.

It’s an off-guard shot from the group photo you took. Everyone mid-laugh.

You look good, thankfully, but that’s not what makes your stomach flip.

It’s Jungkook. He isn’t looking at the camera.

But at you.

Smiling down at you, soft and unguarded, like he forgot a picture was being taken.

Heat creeps up your neck.

…Why was he doing that? And what would the fans think when they saw this?

You sigh, noticing the like count climbing, already well into the tens of thousands and still rising.

After a moment, you tap the heart yourself, then repost the photo to your story before closing the app altogether.

Tomorrow-you can deal with the whirlwind of comments.

Tonight, you sleep.

Curling deeper into bed with Drew tucked against you, you finally let your body relax, exhaustion pulling you under.

But even as sleep creeps in, your mind betrays you, drifting back to Jungkook. His sharp tongue in-game. His quiet warmth in person. The way those two sides somehow belonged to the same man.

Annoying. Charming. Confusing.

But ultimately, it didn’t matter. You knew better than to pour energy into a ship built by stir-crazy fans. More importantly, you knew better than to get involved with a streamer again.

You’d been down that road before, and look where it got you. No matter how enchanting Jungkook might be, this would amount to nothing more than internet noise. A moment. A ship.

And like the Titanic, it will sink too.

—

A/N: 🤭 What we thinking? I hope guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I had so much fun, especially with the chat. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, I love chatting with you all!! And if you would like to join the taglist, just drop a 🎮 in the comments!! 🫶🏽💕💕