Way to go, Jo!!!
Young
Kim, we’re all together now. You don’t have to keep texting the group.
Kim
You want me to say he’s hot out loud?
Max
yes
Heather
Yes
Young
Kinda?
Jo
No
Aida
I’ll do it if you don’t
14
Stepping into the convention center was like entering another world. Felix had thought the lobby of the Hotel Paragon was a sight to behold, but it had nothing on the foyer he was currently gaping at.
“INDIIIII,” hollered a voice from somewhere in the crowd.
“CON!” screamed back literally everyone else. On pure instinct, Felix ducked like he was dodging a punch.
“Okay there, man?” asked Trey, who hadn’t left his side since they shook hands in the hotel lobby a few minutes ago. He patted Felix on the back and chuckled. “This is a pretty intense choice for a first con.”
Felix laughed off his embarrassment. “I guess I don’t like to half-ass things.”
“Neither do they,” Trey said, gesturing to the group of Jo’s friends who walked ahead of them, deeper into the abyss that was Indi-Con. “At least we have a guide who’s easy to spot.”
Felix grinned toward Heather, the leader of the pack who was in costume as her demonkin character, Rosalis the rogue. With pink face paint, a pink wig, and a full set of leather armor with rose gold studs, she was hard to miss.
Jo’s friends were, frankly, intimidating as fuck. Kim was practically skipping in her fifties-style, dice-patterned dress—which she’d proudly declared she’d made herself. Young, with sunglasses on indoors, a sky-high pompadour, and a slim-cut yellow blazer with the sleeves rolled up, exuded cool. Then there was Aida, Jo’s best friend, who walked with purpose everywhere she went and looked more at ease in stilettos than Felix felt in tennis shoes.
David was more chill, but he didn’t seem to want to talk much. He had a relaxed Southern-California-surfer vibe, although maybe Felix was only getting that because of the long hair, golden-brown skin, and floral board shorts. The flower crown and the elf ears sticking out from his hair didn’t seem to scream “surfer,” but then again, Felix had never met one (or an elf, for that matter).
Max was harder to get a read on. He barely looked up from his phone except to check that he was still with the group and wasn’t about to walk into any walls. He had greeted Felix with a chin lift and a “’Sup, tornado guy?” before fading into the background.
As they wound toward the gaming hall, another “Indi” and “Con” call-and-response rang out in the foyer behind them. Max huzzahed without looking up. Felix kept his gaze fixed on Heather’s pink wig so he didn’t get lost… until Jo turned around. She paused to let him catch up to her. Trey slipped away toward Aida and draped his arm around her shoulder. She caught his wrist and leaned into him in that easy way reserved for couples who’d been together forever.
“What do you think so far?” Jo asked.
Felix felt the timid nudge of her fingers on his. He captured her hand and interlaced their fingers. God, it felt so good to touch her.
“I think I’m glad I’m here with you,” he responded. “And I think I’m going to need more coffee.”
Jo squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.
The wall outside the SWOP gaming hall was papered with white printouts. Felix knew what to expect here, thanks to Jo. All of this weekend’s Organized Play games had been posted online for GMs and players to sign up for in advance. The printouts listed names and table assignments for each game, so people knew where to go. Jo had assured him there were always lots of spaces available day-of for people like him to sign up last minute.
Kim made it to the wall first. “We’re at table twelve.”
They had all signed up to play a high-level game with their characters from Jo’s campaign, with Jo playing one of her own characters. Most of the group followed Kim into the hall, but David held back, reading over the sign-up sheets for the afternoon games.
“Do you want to find a game for the morning session?” Jo asked Felix.
“I’d prefer to watch first,” he replied. “Is that allowed?”
“Yeah, of course. Just don’t, like, hover over the GM’s shoulder or anything. But if you want to play this afternoon, we can look now.”
“Lead on,” Felix said, gesturing toward the wall. Jo and David helped him find an intro-level game with open seats. He jotted down his name and made a mental note of the table number and GM’s name.
“What about the evening session?” he asked. “Should I find a game then too?”
