Mark couldn't understand the idea of eSports, especially with such a colorful and seizure-inducing game like Overwatch. The amount of red, blue, green, orange, and whatever other color of the spectrum you can imagine. The amount high speed movement didn't help either, it was rather nauseating.

The worst thing about the whole situation was watching it blatantly on the common room smart TV. An extra audience of Jordan and Mike watching with confused expressions. Jordan thankfully just kept his mouth focused on his cereal, but Baker was having none of it.

"Is this what kids call sports nowadays," The old Englishman questioned. "How do they not epilepsy?"

Jordan spoke up, mouth full of storebrand Frosted Flakes. "It's like watching Saturday mornings cartoon, but on steroids."

"Look, if you both don't like it you can bug someone else," Mute cursed. "I don't have the luxury of having a TV in my room."

"Then watch it on your phone," Mike shot back. "We don't want this blasting on full force."

"Listen Mike, sir, I just need to watch this until—"

"—until Grace comes along?"

Mark stiffened up. How the hell did he know about that?

"Relax you cheeky bastard, Seamus told me all about it."

"Wait, did he tell just you?"

"He basically told everyone but Grace," Jordan interjected. "Don't you know Seamus is a gossip?"

"How hasn't Grace heard about it?" Mark asked. Nothing on base was kept a secret, especially with Grace mucking about everything and everyone. No one needed to see James's Tinder profile or Zofia's sexts to her husband, nor did anyone ask but Grace obliged anyways.

"Seamus is good at hiding secrets when he feels like it, ironically," Mike continued. "Shouldn't it be better to just confess your feelings?"

"No, it can't be that simple. She'll reject me because she knows we don't connect, I have to get her attention first."

What seemed like at the snap of a wand, Grace entered the common rooms wearing PJ's and slippers of her namesake. She yawned hello to the three, and headed off to the counter. She stopped halfway when she noticed what played on the screen. Grace peeled her head back and started to motion her way to the TV. "I didn't know you guys liked eSports. I thought you were all just old."

"We don't, apparently he does." Mike pointed at Mark.

"You like eSports Mute?"

Jordan winced, a quiet ouch leaving his lips. It makes sense to have nicknames or callsigns during missions, but for another operator to only refer you instead of your actual name in a social meant they don't bother learning your actual name. Mark made an attempt to keep a friendly face, despite the obvious crack of his heart.

"Y-yeah, I'm a fan of the the Houston Outlaws, y'know?" He pointed at the TV. "They'll definitely best the Shanghai Dynasty."

Mike raised a brow at him while Jordan snickered under his breath. Grace seemed perplexed too,

"Uh," oh no, that's never a good sign.

"it's the Seoul Dynasty, not the Shanghai Dynasty. Shanghai's name is the Dragons, and the Houston Outlaws have been in last place since the season started."

Mark stood dumbfounded. He stuttered and faced her. "Well it just was— I didn't really know—and erm I—"

She giggled. Mike and Jordan raised an eyebrow at the action. Mark seemed equally as confused.

"I think it's cute when you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Ah, well, I'm still pretty new to this."

"It's pretty obvious you are," she laughs. She leaves to the kitchen, only to return with a bowl of cereal in her hand. "I'm off to my room, if anyone needs me."

She left the room, with a stare that stayed on Mark until she was gone from sight. When the coast was clear Jordan took the remote and closed the app that Mark had playing, much to the appraisal from Mike. Mark sat with cheeks as red as a cherry. Mike slapped him on the back playfully, his trance broken.

"Way to go kid, you got her to notice you. Not the way you wanted though."

Mark suddenly shot up from the seat and exited out the common room, barely making a sound the whole way through. Jordan and Mike simply looked at other quizzingly, but simply shrugged and stared back into the TV. "You think it'll last if it happens?"

Jordan brushed his scruffy cheek. "I don't know, didn't Six say something about the dating coworkers a while ago? It seems like that something she'd talk about."

"And when has Six hired someone who doesn't already hate another one of the team?"

"Too many to count."

"Exactly, I think we should let it be," Mike pulled back into the couch and flipped on to TV. "Besides, it's not like it's the only star-crossed lovers we've had."

Jordan narrowed his brow. "What do you mean, like there's others dating and fucking behind our backs?"

Mike simply looked up and chuckled softly, tuning into the soccer game on the TV. "It's best that you don't go into it."

A/N: new update. I added my headcanon about how operator names work; if you're on good terms or know the other operator well, you say their name. On missions, having a bad relationship, or simply not liked you say their callsigns.

Anyways, check out my recent poll on my profile, deciding on making a Star Wars SYOC, since the Fortnite wasn't doing well :)

-Mister Bombastic