Back Half of the Date

Victory in an Escape Room, it turned out, was a lot easier with four people than it was with two. You and April both turned out to be pretty good at the puzzles, but with two fewer sets of eyes and hands working on things it slowed you down.

Still, coming out of the Escape Room at 47 minutes was a thrill, and April’s huge grin and laugh were a massive boost to your own ego. The workers congratulated you, though it wasn’t like there was a prize or anything, and the pair of you headed back out of the business and onto the sidewalk it was already almost four in the afternoon as April led you down the street.

“So what’s next?” you asked.

“Well, we’ve got a little time before I planned for us to go to our dinner spot,” she said. “So we could do more Pokemon Go if you want, or we can head right there and see if there’s an open table. What do you think?”

Even though it was early, you knew sitting and having a snack was high on your ‘That would be nice’ metre at the moment. But you also had that thing in the back of your mind that said that was the Fat You talking. “Let’s walk a bit more,” you said. “Hit those last Pokestops, and maybe we can find a shiny while we're walking.”

“Sounds good,” April said and took your hand, weaving her fingers with yours.

It was just so easy. So easy to walk with her, and talk with her. Part of you was almost sad that it had taken this long for you to meet someone who just… fit. With you, and your brain, and your hobbies, and your likes. You didn’t agree on everything, but even the disagreements were good-natured and teasing.

After another hour of walking your feet and shins hurt and you could feel the sweat on your back under your shirt, but you didn’t care. And then April led you to the Board Game Pub and you had to laugh again.

“Let me guess,” she said. “You’ve come here before too?”

You nodded. “Not a ton, but yeah,” you said. “Hannah doesn’t have the patience for board games but I’ve come here with coworkers and some of the guys I know from the game shop.”

“We could have been here at the same time,” April said. “I’ve come here a bunch over the last few years. It’s my favourite place to go out for a drink at night - I’m not big into bars or clubs or anything.”

“Me neither, usually,” you said. “But I’d like to go dancing with you sometime.”

“You dance?” April asked with a grin, cocking her head to the side.

“I’d like to,” you admitted. “It’s not really my scene either, but with the right person…”

“We’ll go,” April said, taking both your hands. “I bet I’ll like it a lot more if I’m with you than going with a bunch of ladies and desperately cringing at random guys hitting on me and my friends.”

“OK,” you agreed. “But, I just have to say, if you had been in here when I came here, I think I would have noticed. I didn’t really mention it last time, but it’s weird if I don’t say it now - I’m kind of a fan, April.”

“Thanks, Ollie,” she grinned, actually flushing a little as she glanced away and then back to you. “I figured, since you did the whole contest thing, but you played it off well. I didn’t get a hint of awkward fanboying, and you’re much smoother than most of the guys who try to hit on me at Cons.” Then she got a naughty look in her eye as she stepped a little closer and dropped her voice. “Well, other than in the bedroom. But you definitely fixed that really quickly last time.”

That had you flushing, and you did the only thing that came to mind which was to kiss her again.

You headed into the board game pub and the waitress suggested a few two-player games, and you got through a couple of games of Hive before your dinner showed up. You played some Zombie Dice as you ate and chatted, and then once your plates were cleared you settled in with some hard ciders and tried out a couple of new games to the both of you. Inhuman Conditions was a fun spin on the Bladerunner idea of finding out if someone was a robot, and April really liked the roleplaying aspect. Then you tried out Marvel Dice Throne, which was a fun Yahtzee-like game but with superheroes and superpowers. April eked out a win as Scarlet Witch, and you ended the second game with a win as Thor.

Then you rounded out the night with one last cider and a game of Battleship, but April put a spin on it - to call out a spot to bomb on the board, you had to ask an important question. It started out light, but quickly got personal.

“How do you feel about kids?” April asked.

“I like them,” you said. “I think I’d like to be a Dad someday, though it’s hard to imagine my life like that since I didn’t grow up with any siblings.”

“C3?” April asked.

“Miss,” you said. “Do you want to be a Mom someday?”

“Yes, but not until I’m thirty,” April said. “I want to feel like I’m settled and actually an adult. My Mom keeps saying it’s easier to handle when you’re younger, and I appreciate that she isn’t like eighty while I’m twenty-five, but I still think I want time with my person before I jump into Kids.”

“B8,” you guessed.

“Hit,” she said, making a face as she scrunched up her nose. “Do you want to travel at all, or are you more of a settle-in and plant-roots person?”

“Well, I’m a huge nerd, so I’m kind of settled in with all my nerd stuff,” you smirked. “But I’d like to travel, too. Not for like six months at a time, but vacations would be nice. I would have probably done that more already if I had someone to go with. Hannah loves the idea of travelling but she doesn’t have the cash, and wouldn’t let me subsidise a trip.”

“That’s fair,” April nodded. “Life is expensive. I’m lucky I get to travel for work. G2?”

“Miss,” you said. “Do I talk about Hannah too much?”

“What?” April asked, frowning. “No, not at all. It’s not like she’s your Ex. She’s your best friend and has been for ages and ages. It makes total sense that you talk about her.”

“I just worry that I’m coming across as weird or something,” you said. “Talking about another woman while on a date.”

“You’re fine, baby,” she said, reaching across the table to rub your arm. “Seriously.”

“OK,” you nodded. “C8?”

“Miss,” she said. “Do you want to get out of here and… have fun like last time?”

“Are you asking me that because I’ve already sunk two of your battleships and am working on a third?”

“No,” she asked, leaning forward as she moved her hand from your arm to grab yours. “I’m just thinking about how much I want to kiss you and feel these big hands on me again. And more.”

“Let’s go,” you grinned, signalling for the waitress. April tried to pay, again, and this time you demanded to pay for dinner. She’d paid for the comic books that first night as a pay-back for showing her the shop, and then she’d paid for the Escape Room. It was definitely your turn.

“I’m just used to treating,” April said as you walked out.

“What do you mean?” you asked.

“I mean, I started voice acting while I was still in high school,” she said. “I was always the kid with a job that paid a bunch more than flipping burgers. Same with college. And then right after college everyone else was trying to start jobs and were broke, so I got used to paying for dates when I occasionally dated someone.”

“Well, I’m established,” you said. “And, not to brag or rub it in or anything, and I don’t know what your contracts look like, but I’m doing the IT programmer dance. I’ve already jumped jobs twice since I graduated. Tech jobs, when you do it right, pay a lot. I’ll never need you to treat unless you want to.”

“Good to know,” she said and then sighed. “So… your place?”

You hesitated. “I… think Hikaru, Hannah and Margot are there having a girls' night to pick up Hikaru after a hard week,” you said. “And my walls aren’t thin, but they aren’t exactly that thick either. What about your place?”

April made a face. “Live with my parents because I travel so much, remember?”

“Well… shit,” you said.

April snorted and then covered her mouth as she started laughing.

“What?” you asked.

“Nothing, nothing,” April said, waving you off. “I’m just thinking it’s funny we were both talking about being responsible people with careers who can afford things, and we might end up hooking up in my car.”

“I don’t know if I can physically do that,” you frowned.

April went up her toes in her sneakers to peck your lips with a kiss. “Believe me,” April said. “We can manage.”

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