Chapter 20

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 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.