mzlff / mazeik / "it's all a game"

A chair creaked in the next room. Ilya Koryakov was already seated at the monitors. For the past few days, they'd communicated only in short phrases: "Want some tea?", "I'm going to shower," "OK." Denis walked into the room as Ilya was adjusting the lighting. He didn't even turn around, merely saying curtly, "Check the microphone, it was picking up noise yesterday." There was no familiar "Denchik," no spark in his voice.

But then the red sign “LIVE” lit up.

The transformation was instantaneous. Denis "flew" into the frame with a broad, almost professional smile, casually throwing his arm over Ilya's shoulder. The man who had been sitting stone-faced a moment before suddenly burst into a loud laugh, winking at the chat. "Hello everyone, chat! So, have you missed us?" Ilya's voice sounded warm and cheerful.

To hundreds of thousands of viewers, they were still the same "Mazeikas"—a perfect duo, full of chemistry and local jokes. Denis caught himself feeling the tension in every muscle of his partner's shoulder as he held his hand on Ilya's shoulder. Every time the script called for them to act out a sweet interaction—be it a casual glance or a shared conversation on camera—Denis's insides tensed.