Chapter 69

The match started as a joke.

It always did with them.

“Loser does the dishes for a week,” Lisa said, spinning lazily in her gaming chair, headset slightly crooked as she glanced over at Jennie across the room.

Jennie narrowed her eyes, already clutching her controller like it personally offended her. “Make it two weeks.”

Lisa blinked. Then grinned. “Oh, you’re feeling confident today, Mandu.”

“Don’t call me that before a match,” Jennie snapped, though the slight pink on her cheeks betrayed her.

“Why? Does it lower your power level?”

Jennie scoffed. “You’re going down, Lalisa.”

“Big words for someone who still runs into walls,” Lisa shot back.

“Oh my—READY UP!”

And just like that, the chaos began.

—

At first, it was playful.

Jennie missed a shot.

Lisa cackled. “Aww, was that a warning shot? That was so kind of you!”

Jennie grit her teeth. “It’s called strategy. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Strategy? Babe, you just shot the floor.”

Jennie’s character respawned. “Just wait.”

Lisa didn’t wait.

Lisa obliterated her.

“OH MY GOD—” Jennie slammed her controller lightly against her palm. “You’re cheating!”

“I’m literally just better.”

“Liar!”

“Cry about it.”

Jennie froze.

“…What did you just say?”

Lisa leaned closer to her mic, smirking. “I said—cry about it.”

“Oh, you’re dead,” Jennie muttered.

And suddenly, it wasn’t just a game anymore.

—

The trash talk escalated fast.

Jennie: “You’re literally spamming the same move like a no-skill player!”

Lisa: “And you’re still losing to it. What does that say about you?”

Jennie: “At least I don’t rely on cheap tactics!”

Lisa: “At least I win.”

Jennie gasped like she’d been personally attacked. “You—!”

Lisa: “What? You gonna write a complaint report?”

Jennie: “I hate you!”

Lisa laughed. “No, you don’t.”

Jennie respawned again. Missed again.

Lisa didn’t even hesitate this time.

“Wow,” Lisa said, voice dripping with mock pity, “you’re really bad today.”

That one hit differently.

Jennie went quiet.

Lisa, still riding her competitive high, didn’t notice.

“Should I go easy on you?” Lisa added, still teasing. “Or do you want to keep embarrassing yourself?”

Silence.

“…Jennie?”

Another respawn.

Jennie’s character barely moved.

Lisa frowned slightly, but the match timer was ticking, so she pushed forward, landing another clean hit.

Victory.

Lisa pulled off her headset halfway, turning to Jennie with a grin ready—

—and froze.

Jennie’s head was down.

Her shoulders were slightly shaking.

“…Jen?”

No response.

Lisa’s stomach dropped.

She quickly tossed her headset aside and rolled her chair closer. “Hey… hey, what’s wrong?”

Jennie sniffed, wiping her face quickly, but it was too late. “Nothing.”

“That’s not nothing,” Lisa said softly, reaching out but hesitating just a bit. “Hey… look at me?”

Jennie shook her head.

Lisa’s chest tightened.

“Oh no… baby, I was joking,” she said, voice instantly losing all its earlier teasing edge. “I didn’t mean any of that.”

“You said I was embarrassing,” Jennie mumbled, voice small, and that alone made Lisa feel like the worst person alive.

“I—” Lisa winced. “Okay, yeah, I did. But I didn’t mean it like that. I was just… being dumb.”

Jennie sniffed again. “You always win and then you make fun of me.”

Lisa blinked.

That… wasn’t entirely wrong.

But hearing it like this? It hurt.

“Hey,” Lisa said gently, finally reaching out and cupping Jennie’s cheek. “Look at me, please?”

Slowly, reluctantly, Jennie lifted her head.

Her eyes were glossy, cheeks flushed, lips slightly trembling.

And just like that, Lisa’s heart melted into a puddle of guilt.

“Oh, baby…” Lisa whispered, thumb brushing away a tear. “I’m so sorry.”

Jennie tried to look away again, but Lisa leaned closer, pressing her forehead against Jennie’s.

“I got too carried away,” Lisa admitted. “I didn’t think about how it sounded.”

Jennie stayed quiet.

Lisa exhaled softly. “You’re not bad, okay? You’re just… competitive in your own way.”

Jennie frowned. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

Lisa huffed a tiny laugh. “Okay, yeah, that sounded better in my head. What I mean is—you’re fun to play with. I like playing with you.”

“You just like winning.”

“I like winning with you around,” Lisa corrected gently. “It’s different.”

Jennie didn’t respond right away, but she didn’t pull away either.

Lisa took that as a small victory.

She shifted closer, wrapping her arms around Jennie and pulling her into a soft hug.

Jennie resisted for about… two seconds.

Then she melted.

“…You’re mean,” Jennie mumbled against Lisa’s shoulder.

“I know,” Lisa murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I’m the worst.”

“You are.”

“I’ll accept that.”

Jennie sniffed again. “You made me cry over a game.”

Lisa winced. “Yeah… that’s going on my list of ‘things I regret immediately.’”

Jennie let out a tiny, reluctant laugh.

There it was.

Lisa smiled softly, pulling back just enough to look at her properly.

“Okay, new rule,” Lisa said. “No brutal trash talk. Only… soft trash talk.”

Jennie raised an eyebrow. “What does that even mean?”

Lisa grinned. “Like—‘wow, you tried your best!’”

Jennie narrowed her eyes. “That’s worse.”

“Okay, fair.”

Jennie huffed, but her lips twitched.

Lisa gently wiped the rest of her tears with her thumbs. “You okay now?”

Jennie hesitated. “…A little.”

Lisa leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I’m really sorry, baby.”

Jennie mumbled, “You better be.”

“I am,” Lisa said, kissing her other cheek. “Very sorry.”

Another kiss.

“And I’ll make it up to you.”

Jennie glanced at her. “How?”

Lisa smirked slightly. “Rematch.”

Jennie blinked. “Are you serious—”

“But,” Lisa added quickly, “this time, I’ll let you win.”

Jennie squinted. “That’s insulting.”

“Okay, okay—no letting you win,” Lisa corrected. “But I’ll teach you my moves.”

“…Really?”

“Really,” Lisa nodded. “We’ll be an unbeatable duo.”

Jennie looked at her for a moment, then sighed. “Fine.”

Lisa grinned. “So… you’re not mad anymore?”

Jennie crossed her arms. “I’m still a little mad.”

“That’s fair.”

“But…” Jennie leaned slightly into her again, quieter this time, “…you can keep hugging me.”

Lisa’s smile softened instantly.

“Oh, I will,” she said, pulling her closer again and pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. “As long as you want.”

Jennie relaxed fully this time, her earlier frustration fading into warmth.

“…And you’re still doing the dishes,” she added.

Lisa groaned dramatically. “What? That wasn’t part of the deal!”

Jennie smirked faintly. “It is now.”

Lisa sighed, resting her chin on Jennie’s head. “…Worth it.”

Jennie smiled just a little wider.

And a few minutes later, they were back in the game—

—but this time, side by side.