Page 101 of Monstrous Serpent

“Why are there like six grips that all say the same fucking thing?”

I snort. “Half the attachments are literally the same thing with a different name. Don't even get me started on the barrel options. It's a scam.”

“Yet you and Hunter play all the time. Couldn’t find another hobby?”

We have one. But he doesn’t need to know about it.

I pop a handful of Raisinets into my mouth. “Kind of started when we were twelve. Not much else we could’ve done when we lived in different states.”

He hovers over one grip, then another, lips moving. “Schlager... Sakin... what the fuck is a Sharkfin? Okay, the Sakin ZP grip.”

“ZX.”

He tenses. “That's what I said.”

My jaw stops mid-chew.

Yeah no. He definitely said ZP.

Cody respawns and sprints straight out of cover, no checking corners, no waiting. Just full aggression into the first enemy he sees.

“Push up. I've got your six.”

He rounds the corner and starts firing, but his crosshair drags half a second behind the target, and another player drops him before he can fix it. Kill cam pops up. Shit, he wasn’t even aiming at the right spot.

“Fuck!” He flops back into the couch. “How is everyone so goddamn fast?”

That’s it.

The game was supposed to be fun. But, for him, it’s not. And I fucking hate that look on his face right now. So, I back out and switch to the anime app, putting on the latest episode of Haikyuu.

Cody turns to me. “What the hell is this?”

“It’s only the greatest show ever.”

He huffs. “It’s volleyball.”

“And?” I tip the box of Raisinets upside down and shake it until the last few unstick from the bottom and tumble into my palm. “Hunter won’t let me watch it when he’s home.”

He rolls his eyes. “Wonder why.”

“Wait until you have to watch hours of cooking shows because that’s all he watches.”

Cody’s mouth falls open.

I smirk and toss a Raisinet into it.

He gags but swallows it. “How do you even like that shit?”

“Don’t disrespect my favorite snack.”

He grabs a bottle of water off the coffee table and chugs half of it down. “How’d you two meet?”

“A tournament. He was sitting by himself in the hotel lobby looking all broody. So, naturally, I sat beside him.”

Cody snorts.

“The fucker didn’t even look up, too busy reading some book. It was the same one my older brother was reading, and because he wouldn’t pay attention to me, I spoiled the ending.”