Work Text:
It’s an average day at Liberators HQ. There’s nothing to report. No incidents of note; most everyone has taken the day off as a result. For lack of anything better to do, you’re lounging in the sitting area when Megakin suddenly comes down the stairs from his soundproofed recording room, carrying a video camera in one hand and his phone in another.
You look up, a Pocky stick in your mouth and a video on your phone. It takes you a whole five seconds to realize what he’s saying.
“—sitting area, where my team gathers ‘round and helps me make the magic happen. You wouldn’t believe the sorts of things they come up with!”
…Wait…
“Yo, Newbie! Say hello to Megatube!”
You hike up your shoulders, painfully aware of your plain appearance and half-eaten food and the fact Megakin has over two million subscribers.
“A-Are you live?!” The words are hissed out in mortification, and the leader of the Liberators gives you his toothiest grin in response.
“She’s the newest member of my behind the scenes crew, so we just call her Newbie,” Megakin says, answering one of the questions from his rapidly scrolling phone screen. You want to throw yourself into the Aura Gate.
“Megakin…!”
“Aw, don’t be shy, Newbie! Just check out all these greetings you’re getting.” He turns his phone towards you, and your head spins just trying to keep up with the chat that is apparently in Slow Mode.
“Okay, okay, hello Megatube, please go film somewhere else…!”
“She’s adorable, isn’t she?”
“Megakin!” You cover your face until he mercifully moves on with a lighthearted laugh to continue the tour, or...whatever it is he’s doing.
Maybe no one will pay you any attention. Surely the rest of his stream will preoccupy his fanbase with something far more interesting than the flustered girl in Megakin’s studio. That’s what you tell yourself, at least.
~***~
Two hours later, and there’s fan art of you and Megakin. Eileen’s blowing up your phone with mischievous messages and screencaps from Megakin’s enormous audience, many of which have found your “adorable” reaction to Megakin’s teasing to be something worthy of GIFs…and God knows what else. They've found your social media. Somehow. Oh God.
You have your head on the table, groaning, accepting Arisa’s pity tea with a look of abject misery and gratitude.
“How’d this happen to me…”
Megakin sits beside you, his arm casually over the back of the chair. He’s got that playful smirk on his face that you love and hate in equal parts at the moment. The sideways look you give him makes him balk.
“Whoa, sorry, retract the claws, okay?” His voice goes low--soft and gentle—with none of his usual theatrics, despite his words. “Sorry, Newbie. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just doing a bit of an on-the-fly skit while waiting for a game to finish patching.”
You look at him for a few more seconds, unamused, before finally showing a wry smile, sitting up straight. “No, no…it’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting it. I’m part of your crew now, huh?”
Megakin smiles, relieved, and he offers you a fist to bump, which you do. “Of course you are. You may be a Liberator, but you’re also my friend, and I get all sorts of ideas from listening to everyone talk, yo.”
“I’m not exactly interesting like you or the others though.” You shrug. Even your style of dress isn’t that remarkable compared to things like Kangaroo Boxer’s tattoo or Megakin’s goggles.
“Hey, hey, don’t start saying things like that! You’re plenty interesting. Never seen someone take the sorts of things you do in stride so casually.” He tilts that contraption on his head down, hiding his eyes behind the blue lenses. “I’m gonna be starting a new game LP soon. You want in? It’s co-op, there’s zombies, and I’ll cut you some of the profits from the views.”
Megakin’s featured some of the Liberators in a few of his videos before, but usually as just background extras or as a one-off joke. This would mark the first time he’s made such an open invitation.
You brush your hair behind your ears. “I think I’ll be too nervous to make good banter.”
“Less nervous if we don’t do it live?”
“…Maybe.”
“Hey, whatever makes you comfortable! I was pretty glad to see you just hanging out down here, actually.” Megakin drums his fingers on his leg. Thoughtful. You still can’t see his eyes.
You tilt your head.
“I’ve been wanting to spend more time with you outside of official business.”
“Oh.” You’re not going to think too deeply into that. Instead, you just look at your phone as the screen lights up with the thirteenth fan art of yourself you’ve received today—from Chalk Eater, this time, who is just as amused as Eileen.
“I might have to save that one,” Megakin teases suddenly, leaning over to steal a peek with his goggles up.
“Taro--!”
He just laughs when you use his real name, and he takes that slap to his shoulder without complaint.