carry me home [ongoing]

champions

a/n: aye boys, this chapter involves caster commentary and is very gameplay heavy. if you're not interested in that, skip to the end or go on to the next chapter. enjoy!
Since then, no one discussed what happened that night.

It was like some unspoken vow of silence between the two of them, except Halo never agreed to it.

He wasn't stupid enough to think he was entitled to any sort of emotional vulnerability — that was ridiculous — but he wanted it badly anyway. Could he be wrong for feeling this way? For believing, deep down, he was the one that could make everything okay again?

It turned out caring about someone required a certain amount of thinly veiled narcissism.

"Hard at work as per usual."

"I'm just—" Halo glanced at the dancing monkey on his screen and blanked. "Working on our new strat. For... the game tomorrow."

"Ahh, interesting, interesting." Atlas leaned in over his shoulder and tapped his chin for a moment, as if actually considering it. "So what part of the strategy involves emoting in the middle of the match?"

"It's an intimidation tactic. What better way to psyche them out than by saying 'we don't even have to try?'"

"Now that's more your style, Angel." The smile was jaded, but hearing that dumb nickname made Halo's face heat up. He never thought a single word would make him want to delete his entire Blizzard account, but there was a first time for everything.

Why didn't he realize just how useless he made him? It was so unfair, when one compliment could make his day but it took hours of shotcalling and strategizing to get a second glance.

He couldn't lose focus like this. Not now, when the Grand Finals were quickly approaching.

—

"Things are looking grim for the Miami Heat now, Vex."

"They sure are, the timer has been flipped into overtime and right now the players are trying to throw themselves on the point, stall this out for a moment longer, but it's all but lost now."

"You hate to see it, especially after their incredible turnaround earlier this season. You could argue, though, that alone is impressive enough. Even if they can't take home the win today."

On stage, the team was in dire straits. Hero swaps were coming in to try to delay as long as possible, to keep the round going so that in some unimaginable reality, someone would be able to make a play big enough to make the impossible happen.

"Halo, get off Zen! What are you doing? We need you on Lucio to stall the point."

"Please, trust me, I swear I can turn this around, switch to Mercy damage boost me... I'll make it happen, I promise."

"Now is not the time for martyrdom, okay? Get on Lucio, we've come too far to lose like this."

"I'm almost out of ice block, can you guys hurry?" Summit had been dancing on point throughout this entire argument, using every cooldown he could to keep the fight going for longer.

"What's this? We see the Zenyatta come out from Halo, one of his comfort picks. But Zen is too squishy to maintain the point, either he's giving up or he's hoping for some heroics, here."

"Very questionable play, but Detroit is having a hard time cleaning up this match. They might have a chance."

"What's this—? Fresco drops his shield for a second to swing at Summit but he gives an opening for Atlas to drop the sleep dart. If no one wakes him up, this could be a free shatter..."

"Rein sleeping! Rein sleeping!" Atlas called, unsure if anyone was even listening to him at this point. Comms were a mess at this point, but they wouldn't give up until they had lost for good.

"Here comes Luffy with the ult, gets three, instant bionade from Atlas, what beautiful reactions on his part."

"The cleanup is there, but members of the Heat are dropping one by one, and there's only the two supports left on the team. The only ult left is the nano on Atlas, will he go for it?"

"Nano me, nano me, nano me!" Halo begged, narrowly dodging being knocked off the edge of the map in the process.

"No, are you crazy?" Atlas slept the enemy Reaper, continuosly sustaining his Zenyatta through the fight. "I'm nanoing Luffy."

"He won't get back in time! Just go."

Their health bars depleted more and more by the second until Atlas, in a moment of blind desperation, pressed Q.

"He goes for it!"

"Huge bionade as well, it's all on Halo now to take this opening and make the most of it. Can he hit his shots aaand... he does! Gets one, gets two... You got more for me, Halo? Let's see it!

"The bionade has expired by now, some heals coming in from the enemy team, but he gets another... Unbelievable! I can't believe this turnaround off the back of that incredible setup from Atlas."

"And it looks like that'll be it... The Miami Heat are your 2020 Grand Finals Champions!"

The players practically leaped from their chairs, gathering together in a big group hug under the downpour of purple and teal confetti.

When Halo felt himself wrapped in the warm arms of his fellow support, he wanted to say, "I told you so." But he knew he has proven himself out there. There was nothing left to say. Besides, well...

"You're a legend."

Atlas laughed before gripping his teammates shoulder and adding, "Yeah. So are you."