Between Screens and Hearts

Chapter 4: Collabs Abloom

It was another quiet night in Dean Rivero's room, the soft glow of his computer screen reflecting in his dark hazel eyes. He leaned back in his chair, adjusting his black facemask as the countdown timer for his ReAL stream ticked down from sixty seconds. Tonight was special. Not just for him, but for his followers as well. ReAL had recently launched a new feature, "Collaboration," allowing streamers to host guests on their live streams, presenting their avatars together in the same virtual space.

It wasn't something Dean, or rather Epitaph, had jumped into right away. He valued his privacy and the mysterious persona he'd cultivated as Epitaph. But after a few persistent conversations, he'd agreed to let one person collaborate with him tonight—Katheryne. She was someone he had known online for months, but only as a virtual friend. She was older, had a job as an embalmer, and her sultry voice had become a staple in the small corners of ReAL where they'd occasionally cross paths.

Dean checked the chat one last time before the stream started, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. His heart raced a little—this would be a different experience for him, something beyond the controlled world he normally crafted alone. Tonight, his world would open up just a little more.

Saffron, in her own room, prepared for the night's stream as well. Her avatar, Seraphine, was dressed in her signature white outfit with cute motifs and plenty of accessories. The loose, oversized gamer shirt matched Epitaph's look, but the stark contrast of her bright attire made her stand out. As she settled into her chair, Saffron couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation bubbling up.

Epitaph was going to collaborate tonight. With someone else.

She had been excited about the new feature herself, thinking maybe she'd get a chance to join him in a collaboration at some point. But that excitement was now tinged with something she wasn't quite ready to admit—jealousy. It was a strange feeling. She'd always enjoyed Epitaph's streams as a viewer, occasionally chatting or throwing in a comment when he read from one of his stories, but now the thought of someone else sharing that spotlight with him felt...wrong. She shook her head, trying to push the feeling down. It was just a stream, right?

The countdown hit zero, and Epitaph's avatar faded into view on the screen. The chat immediately came alive with greetings from his usual followers.

@DarkFang64: Yo! Epitaph, what's good, man?

@LovelyMoon: Yay! I've been waiting all day for this!

@BookwormHeart: Ready for tonight's collab! So excited!!

Dean smiled behind his mask. He loved the energy his followers brought to his streams. He leaned into the mic, letting his deep, baritone voice slip effortlessly into the atmosphere.

"Good evening, everyone," he greeted. "Tonight's going to be a little different. As you know, ReAL has this new feature called Collaboration. So, I've invited someone to join me tonight...someone I think you'll enjoy."

Before the chat could explode with guesses and excitement, Epitaph tapped a button, and a second avatar materialized next to his. The avatar was tall and feminine, dressed in dark gothic attire with subtle embellishments. The skin was pale, the eyes a striking shade of violet, and the lips painted dark red. This was Katheryne.

"Hey, everyone," Katheryne's voice cut through the stream, smooth and sultry, with a playful lilt. "I'm honored to be here tonight with the great Epitaph. He rarely lets anyone in his space, so you guys better enjoy this."

The chat went wild.

@LovelyMoon: OMG! Katheryne! I love her streams!!

@DarkFang64: Dude, her voice is fire. I already love this collab.