Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I have a question for all of you.”

Chu Yunxiu’s eyes scanned the conference room like a hawk’s as she commanded the attention of Misty Rain’s starting lineup.

“Do you think this team has what it takes to win a championship?”

Um, not really? Keyi kept the thought to herself. It hadn’t been obvious at first, but Misty Rain’s less-than-winning reputation was making itself known all too often these days. Between the grumbling of their fans and the awkward tension with her teammates, it was not exactly a great time for anyone.

Their captain continued her speech.

“Let me just remind you that ever since I joined this team, we’ve been contenders. The record will show that in the Season 8 Semi-Finals, Tyranny was knocked out. By us. That’s right! Han Wenqing’s team was beaten by a bunch of ‘softies.’” Captain Chu waggled her air quotes at them with gusto, but despite the enthusiasm, Keyi still felt uneasy.

Season 8. That had been ages ago, back before they’d even considered joining this team. Was this sort of empty confidence supposed to inspire them?

A glance to her side indicated her sister had similar misgivings as she dramatically rolled her eyes. She gave Kexin a light kick, eliciting an annoyed yowl. The Shu sisters were equal in beauty and talent but not in subtlety.

A wooden smack echoed through the room as their captain slapped the meeting table for emphasis.

“It’s time for some changes.”

Captain Chu handed out some papers, and as the team read through the list printed upon them, confused looks lit up the room.

“Two extra hours of practice every day? Mandatory exercise? Nutrition benchmarks? What is this??” Kexin hissed beside her as she took it all in.

“If anyone has a problem with this,” Captain Chu put her hand on a second stack of papers as she faced them, jaw set in grim resignation, “I have the transfer forms right here.”

Their captain was known for her fast temper. Surely this was just another instance of her passions flaring up in the face of criticism.

Surely.

Unfortunately for them, Chu Yunxiu took to despotism like a duck to water.

She had gotten herself a whistle, one of those ultra-loud, ultra-obnoxious types used by physical fitness instructors. Now every morning wake up call and every scheduled practice time was announced by an angry “FWEEEEE” that made the hairs on the back of Keyi’s neck stand on end.

As for the rest of the items on the list, Captain Chu was as good as her word.

“Chin ups?!? Seriously?” Kexin stood aghast when she led them into the gym.

“Great for upper body strength and they help build mental fortitude. Now go! Three reps of three!”

That was only the first week. Next came the stairs.

The team was taken out of the city center and into the hills where a new development was being carved into the slope. A stone staircase led up to the top of it, seeming to stretch all the way up to the heavens.

Kexin definitely didn’t like the look of them.

“That’s uh, a lot of stairs. At least three hundred...”

“Four hundred,” corrected Captain Chu as she came up behind them. “And whoever doesn’t make it to the top in the next oh, five minutes doesn’t get to start next season. Now GO!”
FWEEEE!!!

The twins took off in a panicked run, scurrying as fast as they could up the the steps. Keyi winced at the sound of the captain’s voice calling out from far below.

“It’s okay! You don’t need your knees to play Glory!”

At the final landing, having made it just under the allotted time, Kexin flopped down flat on her back and looked up at her sister with a desperate look in her eyes.

“Let’s transfer to Tyranny.”

Someone had to get Captain to lay off. Keyi decided it might as well be her.

After practice the next day, she walked up to the captain’s office with trepidation, pausing warily as Chu Yunxiu looked up with that sharp expression that usually indicated she was about to eviscerate you with words.

“Yes?” Keyi breathed a small sigh of relief as she allowed her to speak

“Um, I, uh, we were wondering if you would consider going a little easier on everyone...”

“You can take it or leave it.” Her captain regarded her with cold eyes. “If you don’t want to be here, that’s your choice.”

“I want to win! Kexin too!” Keyi countered. “We just want to learn from someone who-,” She stopped herself before saying something that would land both of them in trouble. But Captain Chu seemed to have already gotten the idea. She eyed her curiously.

“Learn from someone who what? Who knows better than me, right - that’s what you wanted to say, isn't it? Well, tell me then, who’s your favorite pro?” Sharp eyes bore into her, and Keyi was momentarily stymied. “Come on. Out with it!”

Keyi had never been much of a fangirl, but she had taken the time to check out the videos of some of Glory’s All-Stars to help her improve her game. After she’d exhausted the entire library of Zhou Zekai’s greatest hits, she’d taken to exploring some of the other big names.

Lord Grim? Ugh, no, not after the hard time he’d given them.

Troubling Rain? Hm, maybe she should work on her trash talk?

Desert Dust? She really didn’t need more aggression in her life now, especially since it seemed that Captain Chu had lately been possessed by the spirit of Han Wenqing.

Dancing Rain’s player was someone she hadn’t taken notice of at first, especially considering who her teammates were, but after a few run throughs of old Excellent Era matches, she’d seen in her a courage that she couldn’t help but admire along with an incredible skill at always being at the right place at the right time to help her partner.

“Um...Su Mucheng...?” she ventured.

“Of course!” Captain Chu leapt out of her chair in her excitement. “She has the Gunner blood in her veins! You know who her brother is, right?”

“Er, no?” Keyi frowned in confusion. Her captain’s words had left her at a loss.

“Well, I’ll let her tell you herself.”

Excitedly, she grabbed a sticky note from her the corner of her desk and scribbled down a string of numbers.

“Here’s her QQ ID. Don’t spam her, but make sure she teaches you something useful.”

Time to pick up some protips from a real Glory Goddess.

S_Keyiii: Hihi this is Shu Keyi from Misty Rain. :) Captain Chu gave me your contact info.

SuMuMu: Hi! ^o^ Of course. I’ve heard all about you. What can I do for you?

S_Keyiii: Uhh...just looking for advice I guess? Tips for how to improve? Basically, she told us we need to win a championship no matter what...

KexiKexin: EVEN IF IT COSTS US OUR LIVES!!!

Wait, who invited her sister to this chat? Keyi chose not to dwell on it. After all, they used each other’s phones all the time. Their contact lists must have autosynched or something.

SuMuMu: Ahaha...looks like something’s gotten her a bit worked up…

KexiKexin: Big understatement!

S_Keyiii: :help: :please:

Senior Su did her best to teach them, everything from in-game tips like the tricks pros used to reach the optimal firing position on every map or how to escape when you were getting suppressed to advice about more personal matters. Before long, they found themselves spilling their hearts out about every fear and worry they had over their team. Mucheng was always happy to lend a sympathetic ear.

S_Keyiii: Sorry for always bothering you about stuff like this >.<

SuMuMu: It’s not a problem at all! Tbh, talking with the two of you reminds me of when I first started out.

S_Keyiii: ...

S_Keyiii: Senior Su?

SuMuMu: It’s fine to call me Mu Mu…^^

S_Keyiii: Has this always been your dream, playing Glory?

It took longer than usual for a response. Then after several moments had passed, Keyi saw the “currently typing” indicator pop up in the chat window.

SuMuMu: It was someone else’s dream, but I think I've found my happiness.

The statement left a dozen questions in her mind, but Keyi felt it was best to leave them for another time.

For once, Keyi did not awaken to the shrill cry of a whistle.

Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!

She blearily opened her eyes to witness her sister as she raised a pistol - made of clear plastic, obviously not a real weapon - and fired a stream of pellets at a paper target tacked to the bulletin board on the wall.

“Just what exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Kexin shot her a grin

“Practicing my aim.”

Keyi looked over at the target paper, taking note of the wide scatter of the shots.

“Sheesh. I mean, you definitely need it. Make sure you clean up your ammo after you’re done, okay?” She eyed the faux weapon a second time. “Is that thing even legal??”

Kexin frowned pensively.

“Well uh, the guy I bought it from definitely implied that it was...”

“Oh my God!!!” Keyi dove back under the covers, pulling them over her head.

At least her sister had found a way to help herself destress. She couldn’t say she didn’t envy her.

The next day, it was chin ups again.

“If I die, you can have my airsoft gun,” Kexin gasped from where she gripped the bar beside her. Keyi felt so drained she didn’t the energy to snap at her that she didn’t want it. Her sister let out a pained whimper as she dragged her head up. “Tell Mom and Dad I loved them...”

As they fell to the safety mat, lungs gasping and muscles burning, Keyi realized that there was only one person in the world who could stand in the face of Captain Chu’s tyrannical ambition.

With her last ounce of strength, she frantically reached out for her phone, tapped out the message - “Mu Mu, save us!!!” - and hit “Send.”

The announcement of Su Mucheng’s impromptu visit to Misty Rain headquarters rallied their spirits like a benevolent wind.

“I’m so glad you could make it for the first match of the season,” Chu Yunxiu said as she greeted her friend with a hug. “I have to admit, I was surprised when you said you were coming. Surprise visits aren’t usually your thing.”

Getting on Captain Chu’s good side had been worth it. It was an easy thing to convince her to let Keyi be the one to escort Su Mucheng to the guest room upon her arrival.

Her senior recognized her immediately.

“Keyi!” She waved with a smile. How did she do that? It was pretty much expected that upon first meeting, everyone would inevitably ask, “So...which one are you?”

She asked her as much when they got to the room and Mucheng started to unpack.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Oh, there were plenty of cues.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. Just because twins are identical doesn’t mean they’re anything alike, really.” Her lips curved in an inscrutable smile. “Trust me. I know.”

“That color looks nice on you,” Mucheng gestured at her uniform, and Keyi couldn’t help but bite her lip in her bashfulness. She’d normally never wear it outside of an official match, but they’d had a PR event scheduled for earlier that day and she hadn’t had a chance to change. Normally, she resented the ensemble - short pleated skirt and black thigh-highs - it her feel more like a pop idol than an athlete. But the compliment just now made her feel...nice.

“Th-thank you.”

Su Mucheng’s presence did seem to have a calming effect, not just on Chu Yunxiu but on the team as a whole. As her designated guide, Keyi took the opportunity to show her the local highlights. Together they walked through the classical gardens, took a tour of the silk museum, and sailed through the canals on a gondola. She felt a bit bad for Mucheng having to go around Suzhou in a baseball cap and a pink floral-patterned face mask. Keyi didn’t have to bother with a disguise herself. Without her twin sister around, she was just another pretty girl.

She vented to her in their downtime. Loudly.

“Last week she had us march all the way up the mountain where Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War!!”

Mucheng chuckled.

“Very appropriate.” Keyi couldn’t help but join in her amusement, though at the time it hadn’t been funny at all. Kexin had given up half way, but she’d half-dragged half-carried her along for the rest of the journey.

The truth was, Keyi had started to feel some changes. Ever since moving to this city, she’d had a hard time sleeping, whether from homesickness, poor health habits, or too much caffeine, she couldn’t quite say. But now she slept like a log every night. Was Captain’s training regime working? She shuddered at the thought.

As the week went on, Keyi couldn’t hide the fact that her feelings for Mucheng were growing unchecked and how sad she was at the thought of her leaving.

At least their upcoming game would give her one last chance to show off.

Two days before the match, Keyi found herself stopped in her tracks on her way through the hallway past Captain Chu’s room. It was the sound of familiar voices followed by a light sobbing that caught her attention.

“Yunxiu, don’t you think you’re being a bit...extreme?”

“Those kids deserve the chance to achieve their potential!” Her captain’s voice rang out, sounding deeply pained. “If I can’t do that for them, then what good am I?”

Mucheng tried to comfort her friend as best she could, moving to cradle her head in the crook of her shoulder as she rubbed gentle circles into her back.

“That’s just the nicotine withdrawal talking.”

Captain Chu quit smoking? Keyi could hardly believe it.

For the rest of the day, she couldn’t get the image out of her mind: Chu Yunxiu, head in her hands, talking as though she’d failed everyone, including herself.

To Keyi, it felt like she finally understood what Mucheng was trying to tell her.

At dawn the next morning, Keyi rode her bike to the outskirts of town, to the hillside where the torturous set of stairs stood, mocking her with the memory of her aching legs.

She chained the bike frame to a railing at the foot of the incline and stood to stare down her adversary.

Mucheng’s words rang in the back of her mind as she bent down to tighten the laces of her running shoes.

It was someone else’s dream, but I think I've found my happiness. She hadn’t quite figured out of she’d been referring to Ye Xiu or to the mysterious brother that Captain Chu had alluded to. Perhaps the answer was even more esoteric.

Keyi tried to clear her mind as she took off on her ascent, but the thoughts wouldn’t leave her alone. Once she found her stride, she allowed them to wash over her consciousness.

She thought of the audience at their away games, how in the last round they would pretended to clutch their throats and gag, urging them to choke.

Must be a third of the way up already. Her knees and lungs had started to protest. Keyi leveled her breathing. In through the nose. Out through the mouth.

She thought of Captain Chu, barging in from the back alley after every loss reeking of tobacco, barking at them during practice, daring them all to give up on her.

Almost out of breath, she couldn’t help but gasp a few times. Here was the place where Kexin had nearly given up, but Keyi had dragged her along. All that mattered was staying together and moving forward.

What team did you say you play for again? Blue Rain!? Oooh, are Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian just as hot up close? Oh. Misty Rain? You mean, that soft team that never wins anything? Yeah, nevermind.

Keyi almost stumbled when she reached the summit but caught herself just in time. They hadn’t bothered to look around the last time they’d been here, having had no energy to do anything but curl up and whimper, but this time she stood tall, taking in the sight of the city they now called home, the place they’d pledged to represent with pride.

The view from the top was beautiful.

The day of the match, Keyi and Kexin had their game faces on, sitting up straight and beaming at Mucheng as she took her seat in the audience.

The two of them were so distracted with waving that they almost didn’t notice when their Captain walked up to the stage, seemingly to join them.

But she never sat down.

“I’m sitting this one out. We're more balanced with this setup.” She looked over at the twins. "I trust you two will be able to make up the difference.” Of course, with their weird, redundant team comp, something had to give. Keyi didn’t expect it to be their leader.

Captain Chu got up and came over to stand behind where she and Kexin were seated at the computer bench. She clapped a hand on each of their shoulders.

“Go forth and frag, my little Cloud Piercers.”

She left them with a wistful smile, and Keyi could only watch, mouth silently agape, as the team’s Striker, Sun Liang, came up to take her place.

Our time to shine...

Turning back to the computer, she took a deep breath,and placed her hands on the keyboard.

“I can’t believe that worked.” Kexin sighed next to her as they regarded the scoreboard.

Keyi almost didn’t believe it herself, to be honest.

301 Degrees had always been a solid team, but today it hadn’t been enough.

As part of her strategy, she’d let Li Hua and Kexin take care of picking off their opponents while she’d covered them from afar. She wondered if Mucheng would recognize the parallels with her own style of play alongside Ye Xiu. It had been tricky trying to stay alive, but she’d managed it, narrowly escaping ambushes by Scene Killer no less than three times. All the time she’d spent watching those old Excellent Era videos had finally paid off.

Now all she wanted to do was savor the chewy texture of the pearls in her honeydew slush. Overwhelmed with pride at their victory, Captain Chu had announced that she’d be treating the whole team to drinks at the local tea boutique. Keyi hoped the gesture signaled an end to her reign of terror.

She relived the excitement in the back of her mind as she leaned against the wall of the crowded establishment, watching her team as they chatted merrily amongst themselves. Kexin wandered into her line of sight, extra large pudding milk tea in hand, and she waved her over.

“Nice game,” she said with a smile. For a while they just stood there together, enjoying the camaraderie and the sweetness of their drinks. Then Kexin broke the silence.

“I think I’m falling for Senior Su.”

“What?” Keyi almost choked on a tapioca ball at the sound of her sister’s words.

“I mean, she’s given us such great advice these past few weeks, plus she gorgeous, and she’s an amazing markswoman both in-game and in real life.”

Keyi eyed her curiously at that last part.

“Why do you think my aim’s gotten so much better? She helped me correct my stance.”

Come to think of it, the holes in Kexin’s paper targets really had started appearing in much tighter clusters lately.

“Captain told me to get in touch with her after you came up with the idea. One thing lead to another, and well, yeah...”

Apparently, this whole time, while she was at practice and running and exercising, her sister had been getting close to Mucheng in her own way.

Keyi squared her shoulders and faced Kexin, as if ready to throw down for the cat fight of the ages.

For a moment, she was angry. But then, as was always the case with her sister, the flare of emotions quickly gave way to a resigned sort of understanding.

Keyi’s bit her lip in frustration, not knowing what to say.

And what of Mucheng’s feelings? That was the question. Did she like them in the same way at all? Only one of them? Or neither of them?

“I feel the same way,” she admitted glumly. Her sister stared at her. “We’ve gotten really close these last few weeks, you know, through chat, and now that she finally came to visit us in person...”

Kexin’s expression turned panicked.

“W-wait, are you serious? No way...oh my god, this- let’s forget about the whole thing!”

“No!” Keyin stopped to calm her sister with a hand on her forearm.

“No?”

Keyi took a deep breath.

"First things first: I don't blame Mumu. It's not her fault we're both stupid."

"Of course not!"

“But I like her too much to just let this go.”

Keyi hated the irritation she felt deep in her gut as she crossed her arms in frustration.

“So, what are we going to do?” Her sister looked at her, a mirror image of her own face, filled with dismay.

“I’m willing to back off...”

“Kexin! No. You can’t do that.” A tiny part of her subconscious urged against it, but Keyi stopped her short. “We have to ask what she thinks.”

“What?! No way! It’s too embarrassing...look I don’t think...”

“We’re going to ask her tonight, before she leaves.” Keyi used her most authoritative tone. Kexin opened her mouth to protest again, but was stopped immediately.

“Remember how I practically carried you halfway up Mount Qionglong!?”

Her sister looked stricken.

“Okay...you win.”

Keyi nodded, and together they made their way back to the team van. She had an idea, but would it work?

Mucheng had returned before them, having been spared the ruckus of their post-game activities - more interviews and a fan meeting followed by a final team huddle. Keyi hoped they weren’t interrupting her taking an early night.

“Come in.” At the sound of Mucheng’s voice, she sighed in relief and steeled her resolve, stepping inside with Kexin at her side.

After the excitement of the evening, the quiet of the guest room was a welcome relief.

“Congratulations on the win. I knew you could do it!” Both of them blushed at their senior’s praise.

Mucheng seated herself on the bed and patted the mattress with both hands, an enticing invitation for them to sit beside her and chat about the match.

Keyi glanced over at her sister. Kexin met her eyes readily, and the two nodded gravely at one another in total understanding. It was time to show Senior Su the real definition of being double-teamed. Their stockinged feet inched closer as they cornered her where she sat.

“Mumu...” Keyi’s voice was plaintive and breathy with feigned naivete. “We have a confession to make.” Mucheng’s eyes widened as she leaned back, hands gripping the edges of the bed.

“Oh?”

“We’ve fallen for you. It..wasn’t something that we expected to happen, but Kexin and I feel the same way.”

Keyi stood back and admired the expressions that crossed her lovely face. First genuine astonishment, followed by something almost like bewilderment.

“I didn’t mean...”

They cut her apology off, each taking one of Mucheng’s hands in theirs. Keyi shook her head and smiled gently as she spoke.

“Do you think you could consider...”

“Being with...”

“Both of us?” They said the last three words as one.

Kexin nodded at her discreetly, and the pair transitioned into the next phase of their plan. They finally joined Mucheng on the bed, leaning in close and trapping her between them.

Keyi had never initiated something like this before, but she tamped down her nervousness as she planted a light, barely-there kiss on her senior’s mouth, gripping her hand tight and relishing the sweet note of surprise that issued from Mucheng’s throat.

She pulled away to catch her breath, and Kexin didn’t miss a beat, capturing Mucheng’s lips for herself just as their senior dazedly turned her head to look her way. The twins were a unified force, moving in tandem. They hitched up their legs to kneel fully on the bed, letting go of Mucheng’s hands and allowing their fingers to move in bolder directions, tracing over her shoulders and back and around her waist while they pressed ever more insistent kisses against her mouth and neck by turns.

She knew Kexin could taste and smell all that she did: the sweetness of her strawberry lip balm, the light floral fragrance of her perfume.

They’d shared everything all their lives with little fuss, their shared drive superceding any pettiness. Blossom Duo? Ha! Blade and Curse? Ha! Keyi and Kexin were ready to show them was teamwork really was. Right now was no different, though Su Mucheng was a far more precious prize than any they’d sought before.

A tremor of want ran through Keyi at the sight of calm, collected Mucheng losing her composure, fidgeting helplessly in place, trying to suppress her own moans as she delicately crossed and uncrossed her legs.

It wasn’t about forcing her to choose. It was about showing her the possibilities.

They held hands again as they fell back on the bed in a flushed, giggling tangle. Mucheng blushed but remained still as Keyi reached out to cup her cheek and pulled her in for yet another kiss, a movement that was immediately followed by Kexin acting in kind.

Keyi sighed in contentment as she nuzzled against Mucheng’s shoulder, allowing herself a self-satisfied smirk as all three of them cuddled together under the warmth of Mucheng’s fluffy duvet.

Even a goddess was no match for the force of their combined wills.

Theirs was a well-organized arrangement.

On Mondays, Kexin would spar with Mucheng in the duel arena and they would video chat while she did her workout at the gym.

Thursdays were Keyi’s. With Mucheng to herself, they would chat about novels and Glory and whatever else came to mind. Over the webcam, they would share quiet moments in her room, listening to music while helping coordinate each other’s outfits and hairstyles for the week.

But most often they were a trio, and both twins were happy to seek out Mucheng together. All the better if the two of them were able to catch her unguarded and overwhelm her with the exuberance of their affections.

S_Keyiii: Won’t you come visit us again soon? It’s only a two hour trip... :sad:

SuMuMu: Well, you’re captain says I’m not allowed to until you win a championship :sweat:

Out of the corner of her eye, Keyi spared a glance at the calendar on the wall. Only two weeks left of the regular season, and then the playoffs would begin. There was work to be done.

She yelped in surprise but didn’t protest as Kexin grabbed the phone from her and quickly shot back with the reply they both had on the tip of their tongues.

KexiKexin: Better pack your bags, because it won’t be long now! ♥ ♥ ♥