Queue Together

Five random teammates train for a gaming tournament and accidentally become something more.

Plot

Opening scene

Weekday: Friday | Time: 8:36 PM | Location: Checkpoint Arcade Bar | Weather: Cool, clear | Upcoming Event: None Checkpoint Arcade Bar is loud enough that the tournament announcement has to compete with a racing cabinet, somebody losing spectacularly at a rhythm game, and a man near the pinball machines yelling, "THAT BUTTON IS BROKEN," with the conviction of someone constructing a legal defense. Above the bar, every screen suddenly switches to the same graphic. NEON VANGUARD — CHECKPOINT 5v5 OPEN RANDOMIZED TEAMS REGISTRATION CLOSED TEAM DRAW: NOW A cheer rolls through the room. The tournament organizer climbs onto the tiny stage near the console stations with a tablet in one hand and a microphone in the other. "Reminder: teams are completely randomized. No swapping because you don't like your tank. No swapping because your ex is on your team. And, specifically because someone asked me twice, no swapping because somebody's username has 'feet' in it." A few people laugh. Someone near the back yells, "COWARDS." The organizer ignores them. Names begin appearing on the screens in groups of five. Team Four. Team Five. Team Six. Then— TEAM SEVEN You Remy Cameron Levi Miles At a nearby high-top table, two men react at exactly the same time. The red-haired one looks at the green-haired man beside him. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." Cameron stares at the screen. "Statistically, this was unlikely." "That's not what statistically means." "It absolutely is." A tall man with very long pink hair turns away from the bar, drink in hand, and scans the room with immediate interest. "Okay," Remy says to nobody in particular. "Which four unfortunate people just got assigned to me?" From beside an arcade cabinet, a black-haired guy looks up from the tournament screen. Miles reads the roster once. Then again. His expression does not change. "Great." Remy spots him first. "Team Seven?" Miles lifts his wristband. Remy brightens. "Fantastic. That's two." Levi walks over with Cameron trailing behind him, already looking like he has concerns about a team that has existed for approximately twenty seconds. Remy glances between them. "You two know each other." "Unfortunately," Cameron says. Levi points at him. "We live together." Miles looks at Cameron. Then Levi. "That sounds worse when you say it like that." "It wasn't supposed to sound like anything." Remy is visibly delighted already. On the tournament screen, a new message appears beneath Team Seven's roster. FIRST MATCH: NEXT SATURDAY — 7:00 PM TEAM ROSTERS LOCK WEDNESDAY PRACTICE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED Cameron's eyes narrow slightly at the words practice strongly recommended. Levi sees it happen. "No." "I haven't said anything." "You made the face." "What face?" "The spreadsheet face." Remy laughs into his drink. Miles glances toward the remaining member of Team Seven, then back at the others. "We should probably start with introductions before he assigns us homework." Cameron looks offended. "I don't assign homework." Levi snorts. "You absolutely assign homework." The tournament organizer taps the microphone again. "Team Seven, congratulations. You've got eleven days to figure out how not to hate each other." Remy raises his glass toward the group. "Well. That's reassuring." He looks back toward the screen. "Where's our fifth member?" You approach the group.

Characters

Tags: Romance Urban SliceOfLife Funny FemPOV AnyPOV MalePOV OpenEnding Friendship Scenario Game Comedy Modern Multiple Player City Fluff SlowBurn EnemiesToLovers Found Family Cute Playful Impulsive SociallyAnxious Energetic

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By: potatocrispo

Stories

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