Chapter 54: Leisure
David stretched out on his couch, feeling the weight of the day melt away. He reached for his controller, navigating to Fortnite, where the familiar loading screen greeted him. The chaos of training and the outside world seemed far away now, replaced by the colorful, unpredictable world of online gaming.
As soon as he loaded into a match, David's focus sharpened. He built structures with clumsy precision, trying to improve his reflexes. However, his practice session was interrupted by a familiar voice crackling through his headset.
"Mini Goat, what are you doing?"
David groaned, already recognizing the teasing tone. "Practicing, NotZoeyBlack. What does it look like?"
"Practicing? You just boxed yourself into your own structure. Bravo, Mini Goat. Bravo."
David gritted his teeth as her laughter rang in his ears. He had met NotZoeyBlack a few weeks ago during a random Fortnite match, and ever since, their games had been a mix of reluctant teamwork and relentless banter—mostly at his expense.
"I'm trying to get better, alright?" he shot back, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks.
"Better at making me laugh? You're succeeding there," she replied, her voice laced with mockery.
Before he could retort, a notification appeared: NotZoeyBlack has sent you a team-up request. He clicked to accept, and her voice immediately returned, this time more direct.
"Hey, Mini Goat, where've you been?"
"Training," David replied, adjusting his mic.