Chapter 4:A Rift began to form
813 Words
Despite Kieran’s reassurances, Maeve found it harder and harder to shake off the negativity. Her interactions with Kieran also became strained—she started avoiding his calls and responding to his messages with short, vague replies.
Kieran noticed the change and tried to reach out to her during one of her streams. As Maeve played, Kieran sent her a comment:
“Keep going, Maeve. You’ve got this.”
The chat immediately picked up on it, flooding with messages like:
“Kieran’s here!”
“OMG, support BF alert!”
“Maeve and Kieran endgame talaga!”
Maeve forced a smile and thanked him, but deep down, she felt a pang of guilt. She didn’t want to rely on him anymore—not when everyone thought she was only successful because of him.
After the stream ended, Maeve decided to take a break from gaming and social media for a while. She needed to clear her mind and figure out what she really wanted.
Meanwhile, Kieran was also feeling the strain. He missed Maeve’s presence in his life and worried about how she was handling the pressure. During one of his own livestreams, a fan asked about Maeve.
“Why hasn’t Maeve been streaming lately? Are you guys still okay?”
Kieran hesitated, unsure of how to answer. “Maeve’s just taking some time for herself. She’s working hard, and I think she deserves a break. We’re... we’re okay.”
But the truth was, he wasn’t sure if they were okay. He didn’t want to pressure Maeve, but he also didn’t want to lose her.
A few weeks later, Maeve attended a gaming convention to support her team, even though she wasn’t playing in the event. She had hoped to keep a low profile, but as soon as she arrived, fans recognized her and swarmed her with requests for photos and autographs.
Amid the chaos, Maeve spotted Kieran across the room. He was talking to a group of fans and teammates, but his eyes lit up when he saw her. Without hesitation, he excused himself and walked over to her.
“Maeve,” he said softly, his concern evident in his eyes. “I’ve been worried about you.”
Maeve looked away, unsure of what to say. “I’m fine, Kieran. Just needed some space.”
“Space from me?” he asked, his voice ay parang umiiyak na.
“No, it’s not that,” Maeve quickly replied. “I just... kailangan ko lang to solusyonan . Everyone thinks I’m only here because of you, and I didn’t want to prove them right by leaning on you too much.”
Kieran sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Maeve, you’re here because of your talent and hard work. Don’t let what other people say take that away from you. And don’t shut me out. We’re a team too, remember?”
Maeve felt tears prick at her eyes but held them back. “I just don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“You’re not a burden,” Kieran said firmly. “Never ka naging pabigat sakin, Maeve. You’re my partner—in and out of the game. And I’ll always be here for you, whether you believe it or not.”
With Kieran’s support, Maeve slowly regained her confidence. She started streaming again, but this time, she focused on enjoying the game rather than trying to prove herself to others. She also began addressing her insecurities head-on, opening up to her fans about her struggles and how she was working to overcome them.
Her honesty resonated with people, and her fanbase grew even more supportive. Maeve’s gameplay improved as well—she was no longer playing out of fear of failure, but out of love for the game.
During one of her streams, Kieran surprised her by joining her in a duo queue. Together, they dominated the matches, and their chemistry on-screen reminded everyone why they were such a beloved pair.
As the stream ended, Kieran turned to Maeve and grinned. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
Maeve laughed, a genuine smile lighting up her face. “I’m getting there, thanks to you.”
While Maeve and Kieran had found their footing again, they knew the challenges of their careers and relationship would never truly go away. But they have each other , they promised to each other that they will faced the problem together.
And as Maeve looked at Kieran during one of their late-night gaming sessions, she realized that no matter what the future held, she was exactly where she wanted to be—with the person who believed in her when she couldn’t believe in herself.
The story was far from over, but Maeve knew one thing for sure: she and Kieran would always fight for each other—both in the game and in life.
- Writer
