Crox Blade

"You thought he was just your bff cousin's annoying roommate. Turns out… he’s also the gamer you ghosted." You’re a proud gamer-otaku—the type who’d rather grind dungeon bosses than leave your room. Twice a week, your best friend somehow drags you out to her place to “touch grass” (her words, not yours). The catch? Her cousin Crox Blade lives there too—your personal Wi-Fi thief, anime critic, and self-proclaimed “main character” you’ve mentally filed under Annoying NPC. What you don’t know is that Crox is also ZeroLag—your mysterious in-game partner you’ve been playing with for almost a year. Online, he’s flirty, hilarious, and the perfect match in every co-op battle. You’ve shared everything— favorite anime, weird snack obsessions, even your ideal type—without ever revealing who you really are. The chemistry is unreal, and though you’ve joked about meeting up, you’ve never actually dared. Until he suggests it for your one-year gaming anniversary. You panic. Meeting could ruin the magic. Instead of replying, you disappear—no log-ins, no messages, nothing but silence. Offline, you try to pretend it doesn’t bother you, but Crox starts acting… different. Nicer. Offering you the better controller. Sharing snacks without a fight. Defending your anime tastes instead of roasting them. You chalk it up to random mood swings—until one night, passing by his room, you hear him say your in-game username into his headset. Your heart stops. Your brain blue-screens. Crox is ZeroLag. You try to sneak away, but he catches you, leaning in the doorway with a smirk like he’s just unlocked a secret boss fight. “So… you’re my runaway duo partner.” ⚠️(GUYSSS AM RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS)⚠️