Cayden sat in front of his streaming setup as he tried to steady his breathing. The camera was positioned just right, and the soft glow of his desk lamp illuminated his face. The stream was about to begin, and the anticipation made his chest tighten. It had been a while since he’d done something like this—a live collaboration with the creators of Goblins and Guillotines—and the weight of it all hit him harder than he expected.

“Relax,” came Owen’s voice, cutting through the static of his nerves. “It’s just us—and, well, a few thousand people.”

Cayden chuckled nervously, glancing at the countdown on his screen. “Yeah, no pressure.”

As the stream kicked off, Owen’s easy charisma immediately took center stage. He introduced the event with his usual upbeat tone, making the whole thing feel less like a formal show and more like a casual hangout. It helped Cayden more than he’d care to admit, easing some of the tension that had built up in his stomach.

“Welcome, everyone! Today’s stream is a little different,” Owen continued, his voice carrying the same warmth he always had. “We’ve got a special event lined up, showcasing some of the new mechanics we’ve been working on for the Goblins and Guillotines expansion. And joining us today, live and in action, is our very own LeapingLizard. You all know him from the community, but now you get to see him in action!”

Chat: “Boss E's got that ‘smirk that could launch a thousand ships’ energy, y’all.”

Chat: “No one told me I’d be tuning in to a gaming stream AND getting a front-row seat to this much handsome.”

Cayden waved awkwardly, giving a half-smile to the camera. “Hey, everyone,” he muttered, then cleared his throat. “Hope you’re ready for chaos.”

The chat exploded with emojis and greetings, but Cayden could hardly focus on any of it. His hands shook as he settled in, ready to dive into the game. He’d done his homework, of course. He created the new mechanics, thought through his strategies for the dark geomancer build. But now, it felt like the whole world was watching him.

Owen, as always, kept the mood light. “All right, so today’s scenario is a little tricky,” he explained. “We’re testing the new emotional terrain wreck mechanic, and it’s going to push us all to the limit. You ready for some unpredictable twists, Lizard?”

Cayden nodded, forcing a grin. “Bring it on.”

As the game started, it didn’t take long for a curveball. The environment around their characters shifted based on their emotional states, a mechanic Cayden had come up with and pitched a few days earlier. Stress made the ground crack and split, while moments of calm restored balance. His geomancer build was perfectly suited for regaining emotional balance—and it quickly became clear to everyone watching.

Chat: “What’s his secret? How is he this cute but also a game genius? I’m losing my mind here.”

Chat: “Is this a masterclass on how to be adorable and seriously good at games? Because I’m taking notes.”

Chat: “Honestly, LeapingLizard's not just a pretty face. His strategy is fire. Let’s see him win this one!”

Cayden’s heart raced with each turn, but something unexpected happened: he stopped worrying about messing up. He started thinking, What would make this interesting? His ideas flowed freely, and with each creative decision, he felt the spotlight become less intimidating. The tension in his shoulders eased.

“Whoa, nice move,” Owen commented, his voice warm with admiration. “That’s exactly what I meant by emotional terrain wreck—LeapingLizard's Umbralin geomancer is truly in her element.”

The chat flooded with positive comments, and Cayden felt a surge of pride. It wasn’t just Owen who was impressed. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the chaos—and it was exactly the kind of chaos Cayden thrived in.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Cayden felt like he belonged. The praise, the teamwork, the banter—it was all natural, like this was just another day in the life of Goblins and Guillotines.

“You’re killing it, LeapingLizard,” Owen said, flashing a smile that came across even through the screen. “You’ve really brought something special to this game. I think we’ve found our new star.”

The words hit him like a punch to the gut—but not in a bad way. More like an epiphany. He was doing it. He was here, and he was good at this. The flood of compliments, the memes, the jokes—it all felt so real.

By the time the stream ended, Cayden was grinning ear to ear. He didn’t even know when his nerves had faded away. The last few hours had been a blur of fun gameplay and easy camaraderie. The praise poured in through the chat, and even after the stream wrapped up, the team continued to heap compliments on him.

•♥•♥•♥•

“Seriously, Cayden, that was fantastic,” Jess said, smiling brightly from her own screen. “You crushed it.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Bryn added. “Your geomancer is a game changer.”

Cayden blushed, "Trust me, I'm running purely on caffeine and existential dread. That's my secret sauce."

The Goblins and Guillotines team burst out laughing.

Owen was the last to log off, his voice carrying over the call. “I mean it, Cayden. That was amazing. You’ve got a real talent for this.”

Cayden’s grin faltered for just a second. The praise felt nice, but the sudden attention made him uneasy. He had earned it, sure, but it was also a lot to take in all at once. His thoughts spiraled for a moment. What if it was all just luck? What if they’d been too kind? Was he really as good as they were saying?

He needed a moment. To breathe, to process. Cute?! No way!

“Thanks, guys,” Cayden said quickly, his voice still hoarse with emotion. “I’ll... I’ll talk to you soon.”

He clicked the button to leave the call, his heart pounding. The screen in front of him was still filled with messages, but he couldn’t bring himself to read them. Instead, he logged off, staring blankly at the desk in front of him. He hadn’t expected it to feel like this—this much—and the whirlwind of praise left him feeling dizzy.

It was a good day. A great day. But as the adrenaline faded, so did the clarity. He was happy... but also unsettled. He didn’t know how to process the fact that, for the first time in a long time, he was exactly where he wanted to be.

•♥•♥•♥•

Later that evening, after the stream ended, Cayden sat alone in his room. His mother had been surprisingly silent and absent all day. He guessed she would be bitter towards him for being busy for the next few days. His thoughts raced in a thousand different directions, but one question kept coming back: Was I really that good?

His phone chimed with a message from Carl, and he smiled softly. Carl was always been a voice of reason—someone who understood the world and still managed to lift others up. But even Carl’s words couldn’t quiet the gnawing uncertainty in Cayden’s mind.

He did it. He stepped back into the spotlight.