chapter 2: The Collab Request
1523 Words
📱 SHE’S THE NOTIFICATION I NEVER MUTE
The next few weeks fall into a comfortable rhythm.
I stream my usual tech and gaming content, keep my phone face-up on the desk, and find myself smiling at every ping that comes from her name. Luna streams on her own schedule—art, storytime, sometimes casual indie games—and I make it a habit to drop by whenever I can, leaving a comment or two, or sending a quick message after we’re both offline.
To anyone else, it might look like just two creators supporting each other. But to me, it’s become something I look forward to more than anything else.
It’s a Tuesday evening, halfway through my stream, when the notification pops up.
Ping.
My eyes dart to the screen before I even finish reading the question from chat. Sure enough—Luna.
I quickly excuse myself, “Hold on everyone, just one second,” and grab the phone.
“Hey! Quick question—have you ever thought about doing a collab stream?”
I blink, a grin spreading across my face so wide it almost hurts. A collab? I’ve done a few with other streamers before, but none that made me feel this nervous and excited all at once.
“Really? With you? Sure! What did you have in mind?” I type back immediately, my fingers moving faster than usual.
The typing bubble appears almost instantly.
“I was thinking—something fun and different. You know tech, I know art. Maybe we could do a ‘build your dream setup’ challenge? Or I could teach you how to draw, and you can teach me how to edit a video? Something casual, not too stressful”
I read the message twice. It sounds perfect. Fun, light, and it gives us a chance to talk more—really talk—without just typing back and forth.
“That sounds awesome! I’m in. When were you thinking?”
“This Saturday at 7 PM? If that works for you! We can promote it on our channels too.”
“Saturday at 7 is perfect. Count me in!”
I set the phone down, but I can’t stop smiling. Chat notices immediately.
@GamerGal: Kai’s grinning like an i***t again
@TechLover: What did Luna say?? Spill!
@StreamBuddy: Collab? Please say collab!
I laugh, leaning back into my chair and adjusting my mic. “Okay, okay—you guys guessed it. Luna and I are doing a collab this Saturday! We’re still figuring out the details, but it’s going to be fun. So mark your calendars, yeah?”
The chat explodes with excitement—emojis flying, comments saying they can’t wait. I feel a little flutter in my chest, equal parts nerves and anticipation.
The days leading up to Saturday feel like they drag by and fly by all at once.
We spend time messaging each other to plan. We decide on the “Swap Skills” format: first, Luna will teach me how to draw a simple character, and then I’ll show her the basics of video editing using free tools. It’s simple, low-pressure, and feels very us.
“Just be yourself,” she messages me Friday night. “No need to be perfect. It’s just for fun.”
“Easier said than done,” I reply, adding a nervous emoji. “I don’t want to mess up your stream.”
“You won’t. I promise. See you tomorrow!”
When Saturday finally arrives, I make sure my setup is extra neat. I check my internet connection twice, test my mic and camera, and even fix my hair a little more than usual. I keep my phone on the desk, volume turned up as always.
Right at 6:45 PM, she sends a message.
“Ready when you are! Sent you the stream invite link.”
I click the link, and within minutes, her face appears on my second monitor. She’s smiling, her setup lit up with warm fairy lights, a sketchbook open in front of her.
“Hi Kai!” she says, her voice clear and cheerful. “You look ready.”
“Hi Luna,” I say, smiling back. “And you look like you’re about to teach me how to be a professional artist. No pressure, right?”
She laughs, the sound soft and genuine. “Absolutely no pressure. If it ends up looking like a stick figure, we’ll just call it modern art.”
We start the stream together, greeting both of our communities. The view count climbs higher than usual, chat moving fast with greetings and jokes.
“Welcome everyone! Today we’re doing something different,” Luna says. “Kai is going to learn how to draw, and I’m going to learn how to edit videos. Let’s see how this goes!”
For the next hour, we talk, laugh, and make terrible attempts at art and editing. I end up drawing a dragonfly that looks more like a flying lizard, and Luna accidentally edits her video so it plays in reverse. But it doesn’t matter—we’re having fun, and the viewers are loving it.
At one point, while we’re taking a short break, the chat quiets down a little, and Luna leans closer to her camera, grinning.
“For those who don’t know,” she says, glancing at me, “Kai is actually the only person whose notifications I never mute. Even when I’m drawing or working, if his name pops up, I always check it first.”
My breath catches for a second. I look at her, and she meets my eyes through the screen, her smile softening just a little.
I laugh, scratching the back of my neck, my cheeks warming. “Funny thing… I was just going to say the same thing. My phone is always on silent for everyone else. But her? Special ringtone, special settings. I never mute her either.”
The chat erupts in a wave of awwws and teasing comments.
@Fan1: Did you guys just confess??
@ModJax: Told you there was something going on!
@ArtLover: This is so cute!
Luna laughs, shaking her head, but she doesn’t look away from the camera. “We’re just saying… good company is hard to find online. And when you find someone whose messages you actually look forward to, you don’t want to miss them.”
I nod, my smile softening too. “Exactly. In a world full of noise and spam, some alerts are just… worth hearing.”
The stream ends two hours later, and we say our goodbyes to the viewers. Once the stream is officially closed, we stay on the call for a few more minutes, just the two of us.
“That went really well,” Luna says, leaning back in her chair. “Way better than I expected.”
“It was great,” I agree. “We should do it again sometime. Maybe next time we play a game together?”
“I’d like that,” she says softly. “A lot.”
There’s a short pause, comfortable and quiet.
“Hey,” she says, “thanks for agreeing to this. I know it’s not the usual tech stuff you do.”
“Are you kidding? It was fun. Way better than just sitting here alone,” I reply honestly. “Thanks for asking me.”
We say our goodnight and end the call. I sit back in my chair, staring at my screen, a silly, happy feeling settling in my chest.
My phone buzzes once more.
“You did great tonight. Really. Good night, Kai.”
I type back quickly: “Good night, Luna. Sleep well.”
I set the phone down, but I don’t put it on silent. I never do.
As I get ready for bed, I can’t help but smile. She was right—online life is full of noise, endless alerts, and people who want something from you. But every once in a while, you get a notification that feels like more than just words on a screen.
It feels like a connection.
And just like always, I know that if she messages me in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, or any time at all—my phone will make that special sound.
Because she’s the one I never, ever want to miss.
- Writer
