[Monster Streamer] Unexpected Fame (Patreon)

I was originally planning on writing a Human Streamer AU crossover, but then I thought...what about a monster streamer who's struggling to get viewers and discovers just how much other monsters want to see you? This will be continued in the future!

He grunts before flashing you a forced smile, indicating you can come in. Damn it, you’re interrupting his livestream! Did he forget to hang the ‘do not disturb’ sign, or were your human eyes unable to comprehend such simple information?

“I’ll be quick,” you mumble, entering the hotel room for the morning cleanup.

Then again, what exactly are you interfering with? He glances at his viewer count: two. One more than half an hour ago, which is definitely an improvement, but still a miserable affair, nonetheless. No matter what he does, the engagement seems to be stuck at rock bottom. Is he lacking charisma? Is his content just plain boring? He’s been streaming for over a year now, hopelessly praying for a breakthrough towards fame that never arrives.

Who’s that?

He almost flinches at the notification sound; he’s never heard it before. The very rare stray visitors he gets are normally silent, observing from a distance before logging out of his room. He scans the comment, somewhat confused, until he realizes you appear in the background, folding his bed sheets.

“That’s, uh…” he places a clawed hand over the microphone, trying to be subtle. “That’s just the hotel maid. I’m traveling.”

Yeah, but what is it?

Now that he thinks about it, most of his viewers have probably never seen a human in their life. The Hotel advertised you as the only human employee, but you’re probably a rarity well beyond the premises as well.

“It’s a human, I guess,” he mumbles, trying to focus on his game. You’re certainly taking your damn time.

Within minutes, he’s flooded with messages. Who the hell is spamming his chat? Then his eyes land on the current number of viewers, and his face pales. Good Lord, where did all these monsters come from? His lips quiver as he tries to take in the rapidly increasing digits. This is insane. Is it sheer luck? The fated breakthrough? He opens the chat and his heart sinks.

They’re all asking about you.

Wait, like, an actual human?

Get them closer to the camera!

Can it talk?

Can someone tell me where this is?!

“Sorry for the wait,” you say, approaching his desk. Your guest appears to be particularly nervous for whatever reason. His hands are trembling and his tail flicks from side to side erratically.

With every step you take towards him, the number of people joining his stream doubles. While this isn’t what he originally planned, he can’t be picky about handouts: the fact remains that you’re presently boosting his account to previously unimaginable amounts. He’d be an idiot to discard this chance.

He must feature you again, one way or another.

You’ve always suspected that this guest might not be your biggest fan. The creature hardly leaves his room, so your mandatory service frequently feels like an intrusion of privacy. You find yourself cleaning and folding under his scrutinous glare, counting the minutes until you can free him of the awkward tension.

Which is why you’re currently pursing your lips in disbelief; not only is the rascal out of his confines, but he’s fidgeting outside of your breakroom with an expectant stare.

“Can I help you with anything,” you shout from your table, too indifferent to leave the comfort of your seat.

“I was wondering if we could h-hang out later.”

Huh, now this is a surprise. Perhaps the fellow has just always been clumsy and misunderstood. Maybe you’ve judged him too quickly. You nod and gulp down the final drops of your coffee, then follow after the tall beast.

He taps on the little microphone attached to his collar. “We’re heading out,” he whispers into it. Meanwhile, the viewers continue to pile up for his livestream: spending a day with the human, the title says in all-caps.

Who would’ve guessed you’d be his ticket to success? He’d been standing next to a gold mine this entire time, shooing you away so he could focus on his online presence.