5. Lochlan
“This is amazing,” Dex says for the hundredth time.
I’m not even remotely tired of him saying it. The Eventide Fan Convention is everything we dreamt it would be.
We arrived in London yesterday and did some sightseeing before getting up bright and early this morning to join thousands of other fans in the main hall for the keynote speech delivered by the game’s producer.
Even though the cosplay competition isn’t until tomorrow afternoon, plenty of fans are cosplaying as their characters or as non-player characters from the game, including Dex and me. He’s dressed like his tank, in armour made of high-density foam, spray-painted in metallic silver. I’ve gone as my thief, complete with cloak, although I quickly discover I’m too hot wearing it in the crowded room.
The atmosphere is electric as the producer makes several exciting announcements. The trailer for the newest expansion results in loud cheering and clapping that takes five minutes to calm down enough for the producer to carry on. By the time she finishes the speech, my hands are sore from clapping.
We stay in the main hall to watch some panels. The first is the game developers discussing graphics updates, which I find fascinating.
Next up is a panel with four streamers, including Avery. He lights up the stage as he talks enthusiastically about the game. He’s wearing a hoodie in candy floss pink, mint green, lavender, and lemon. The soft colours flow and blend into one another. He has his wireless headphones with the cat ears around his neck. His make-up is stunning, all glittery and shining, and he’s applied a natural-coloured, glossy shade to his lips. His pastel aesthetic and bubbly personality make it impossible to look away from him.
“You’re thinking about kissing him, aren’t you?” Dex whispers into my ear.
I shiver. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Even though kissing Avery isn’t on the cards.
We’ve chatted online a few times a week for four months now. We’ve talked about our lives, our likes and dislikes beyond our shared love of gaming, and our hopes and dreams for the future. Whenever the conversation has strayed onto family, I’ve wanted to hug Avery and assure him that we accept him for who he is, even if his family can’t. What we can’t do with physical hugs, we do with words. When he’s had a shitty day, we go out of our way to make him laugh. If I catch him online after a long shift, when Dex is at work or sleeping, he makes time to help me destress. I know he does the same for Dex after school if I’m not around. The more I get to know Avery, the more I adore him. Is there a chance he could want us?
Probably not. He’s our friend, and that’s more than enough.
Once Avery’s panel has finished, we hang around in the hall, but so do scores of other people, brandishing autograph books, cameras, and mobile phones. The security guards herd the fans into lines so the four streamers aren’t mobbed. Avery’s queue is the biggest by far.
“He’s going to be busy for a while,” Dex says in a dull voice.
“Uh-huh.”
“We could join the queue.”
I shake my head.
Dex frowns. “Why not?”
“Queue up for an autograph and a thirty-second photo opportunity. Is that really how you want to meet him?” I’m careful not to use Avery’s real name while people are milling around us. To everyone here, he’s The Pastel Gamer.
Dex sighs. “No.”
“Let’s go. We’ll get another chance to say hi later.”
“Will we?”
My gut twists. “I hope so.”
Dex checks the programme. “He’s doing a question-and-answer panel this afternoon.”
I put my arm around Dex’s shoulders and kiss his head. “I assume we’re going?”
“Absolutely.”
We go to the trading hall and browse the merchandise stalls. We each buy a keyring with the logos of our main classes—tank for Dex and healer for me. On a whim, we pick up an archer one too.
I smile every time someone compliments Dex on his armour. He spent hours making it and deserves all the praise. Plus, he looks amazing, although I can’t wait to help him out of it later when we’re alone in our hotel room.
After lunch, we play a demo of the upcoming expansion in the gaming room. The developers are adding a new, playable race, so I mess around in the character creator, checking out all the customisation options. I’ll stick with my dragon-kin, though. I prefer edgy-looking character designs over cute ones.
We go to the main hall and grab a seat at the front for the question-and-answer panel Avery is on next. The room fills up behind us, and anticipation hangs in the air as the panellists are shown onto the stage amidst raucous applause.
A compère fields the questions which come thick and fast. She divides the generic questions between the panellists so no one gets too fatigued with answering. Several questions are aimed at specific streamers. Avery gets more than his fair share, and although he keeps smiling and is bubbly throughout, the shine in his eyes diminishes the further through the hour we get.
“He’s tired,” Dex whispers.
Is my husband thinking about ways we could take care of Avery? I am. If only we could provide him with an escape. A quiet, safe haven like our in-game house, but in the real world.
“Do you get fed up with the events that are repeated annually, like the Valentine’s and Christmas events?” a fan asks.
“Why don’t you answer this one, Pastel Gamer?”
“I’ve only played Eventide for a couple of years, so I’m not the best person to ask, but I enjoy them. The quests and rewards change each year, don’t they?”
The fan who asked the question nods.
“Then they’ll stay fresh and be a nice diversion from doing plot or hard content.” Avery flicks his gaze around the audience. When it lands on me and Dex, he smiles. “Personally, I love the slower content. I enjoy the quiet moments in the game the most.”
Dex squeezes my hand. I long to provide Avery with a quiet moment too.
“Plus, I’m a romantic at heart. So a Valentine’s event is right up my street,” Avery says.
Hands shoot up. The compère chooses another fan to ask a question. It’s a big guy with lank hair and a faded game T-shirt.
“For The Pastel Gamer. Are you single?”
Everyone in the room seems to be holding their breaths. Or maybe it’s just Dex and me who are holding ours.
Avery’s cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “I’m going to take a hard pass on answering that.”
He glances at us. I could have imagined it, but I’d swear in a court of law that he did. But what does that look mean?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I have to stop projecting my fantasies and desires onto Avery.
The panellists answer more questions until the compère brings the session to a close. Dozens of people waiting to ask questions are left disappointed.
Another autograph signing session is scheduled straight after. Hopefully, once it’s finished, Avery will be able to have a break. Has he had any time to rest at all?
I clasp Dex’s hand. “I’ve got an idea.”
He arches an eyebrow.
I gesture to Avery, who’s taking a selfie with a star-struck teenage girl. “He needs a break.”
“And you want to make sure he gets one?”
I nod.
“How?”
“Have you ever wanted to be a magician’s assistant?”
Dex laughs. “I’m not following. You’re going to have to spell it out for me, sexy.” He groans and slaps his forehead. “Pun not intended.”
“It was a good pun.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
I chuckle and kiss him. “I’m biased.”
“Hopelessly.”
“I love you.” I kiss him again.
“What’s your plan?”
I grin and rub my hands together. “It involves a note and a cloak.”
Dex raises his eyebrows. “Intriguing. Tell me more.”