Unexpected Duo

Chapter 2: Unexpected Duo

The friend request turned into a message almost immediately.

[Jairem]: Thanks for accepting.

[Jairem]: Sorry if that was weird lol.

[Rai]: A little.

[Jairem]: Worth it tho.

[Jairem]: Duo?

I hesitated.

Nico had already logged off after our last match, leaving me alone in the lobby with a guy who had spent half the game trying to assassinate me.

Still, curiosity won.

[Rai]: Fine, just one game.

The party invite popped up right away.

I accepted and loaded into the lobby without thinking too hard about it.

I hovered over my usual tank picks, but Jairem pinged Support.

[Jairem]: Pick a carry. I'll keep you alive.

I frowned slightly, amused. From trying to assassinate me to offering bodyguard services. That was a quick change of roles.

Rolling my eyes, I picked a marksman; high damage, paper-thin defense. If he was serious, he'd have to work for it.

The match started.

And, surprisingly, he meant it.

Every time someone tried to dive me, Jairem was already there; blocking shots, stunning enemies, tossing shields like his life depended on it.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was clean. Easy. Like we’d been a duo since forever.

I didn’t want to admit it, but it was kind of fun.

The kind of fun that made you forget what time it was.

When we finally smashed their base, a new message popped up:

[Jairem]: Told you we'd make a good team.

Before I could even answer, another invite popped up.

And somehow, one game turned into two.

Then three.

I glanced at the clock after our third win and froze.

It was nearly 1 AM.

Had we really been playing for almost three hours?

[Jairem]: Last one for real this time?

I snorted.

[Rai]: You said that two games ago.

[Jairem]: I meant it this time.... maybe.

Despite myself, I clicked Accept again.

It wasn’t even about the rank or rewards anymore.

The matches just... flowed. No weird silences, no ego fights.

Just good plays and the kind of teamwork you couldn’t fake.

During a loading screen, Jairem sent another message.

[Jairem]: Rai.

[Jairem]: You always this good, or am I just lucky?

I smirked at the screen.

[Rai]: Definitely just lucky.

[Jairem]: Ouch. Respect tho.

The last match flew by in a blur of kills, saves, and ridiculous plays.

When we finally landed back in the lobby, I realized my hands were starting to ache and my eyelids felt heavy.

[Jairem]: You’re probably dead tired.

[Rai]: A little.

[Jairem]: Wanna call it?

I thought about it for a second, then typed back:

[Rai]: Yeah, nice game.

There was a small pause.

[Jairem]: Play again tomorrow?

It was simple. No pressure.

But it still made me smile a little.

[Rai]: Sure, of I'm free.

[Jairem]: Bet.

I closed the game, sitting there for a moment in the quiet.

Three hours of matches with a complete stranger, and somehow, it hadn’t felt like a waste of time.

If anything...

it felt like something was just getting started.

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