Roll With It

Chapter 3 - LODI

Lodi Gibson was like a headache at the back of Nick Baker's head. On some level, he understood what was going on with every simple, straightforward word Miranda used when he was expecting a strained, overly-verbose one. But he was a man. He'd always been a man, at least as long as he could remember. He also knew things had been different, from all his interactions with the others, and that the name "Lodi" meant something to him.

He laid in bed with the sun pressing through the hotel blinds and notions of his husband lapping at his thoughts.

Blegh. He didn't like overthinking things. Miranda did enough of that. She wore it on her face all day when she wasn't wearing other things he recalled fondly. Spooning her from behind, he considered pressing against her. She gave a faint moan in her sleep. He had to fight all the ideas in his head just to leave it at a kiss. They had a busy day. The night would be 'fun time'.

Nick washed up early and let his mind wander over the others in the group. Pearl was too bookish and demure. Suzy had no idea of what she wanted unless you walked up and told her. May always seemed like a boy who'd been let loose in a curvy, female body. Clair made him whither up. She was just too innocent to even try thinking that way. But this was a forbidden fantasy, one to release some tension for the day. Miranda would just wind him up.

Despite the pain, he returned to that notion of Lodi. Some girl. Some part of him? Her hair not too much longer than his. Her skin vaguely-acne-scarred and not too soft. A thin, lean body with perky, prominent nipples and slim muscles. It was enough to leave him with a satisfied ache and a lingering aroma in the shower.

Once out of the bathroom, Miranda teased him with a long kiss, defeating all his efforts. In the room mirror, he brushed down his reddish hair, which bristled like a hedgehog. He didn't have cosplay to worry about till later, so he settled on a loose, comfortable shirt. His normal look but something still nagged him about it.

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Miranda fussed with getting everyone else ready for the con and making sure her outfit looked lovely. He would've been fine with her wearing little more than a bikini. He knew a few characters who had that as their official costume. Or that one show with the magical uniforms which barely-covered anything. All these years and it still felt like they were together for the first time.

Nick enjoyed roaming the convention floor, even though Miranda said she would be picking out what merch he needed to get. A wall scroll that looked just like Miranda tempted him but he still deferred to her. Besides, he had the real thing. He told Pearl she looked nice in her apron and lace, which featured in some moe-blob show he couldn't remember. Clair's outfit seemed rather extravagant for someone her age. She had hoops and rings and did a lot of twirling.

Suzy's magical girl appeared unconvinced she even wanted to wield her wand. That kinda helped the cute-factor but cost her in judging. Nick quietly-appreciated he didn't need to wear a dress. A little ways into the day, after a few special panels and an actor Q&A, Nick took a break near Suzy.

He asked if she was alright, noting her distant gaze. She tried a quick smile and admitted, "I'm having fun. I just, I expected something to change with...uhh...wearing this and being this way."

Through uncertainty, Nick parsed that and offered, "Just because you put on a different look, it doesn't change who you are underneath it. You gotta make that happen. Either retreat to what's comfortable or roll with it and change things. I dunno. Your character is Ichika, right?"

Suzy scrunched her face and recited some details which led up to, "She's confident though. She sets her own path. She's beautiful, smart, funny, and charismatic much like...like another character who I like but who's a male character. It's pretty insane being this girl...this character. But I'm worried."

Nick turned up his hands. "This is Vegas. People get remade here. They make new lives and all that crap they say in movies about this place. Be Ichika, if only for the weekend. Just indulge it."

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Despite his pep-talk, Suzy still wiggled her feet and shrugged. Probably a lost cause but he tried his best. Miranda even tried a little bit, whispering in hush voices about numbers. Eventually, Suzy just bolted to her feet, took a deep breath, and proclaimed, "I'm going to do it!" Neither of them had much confidence she would actually do it but they waved her good luck.

The talk seemed to have the reverse effect on Miranda, who withdrew emotionally even though Nick remained right beside her when he put on his plastic armor and wielded a foam sword. He recited proud and noble creeds as he flexed. It wasn't enough to win but he had a good time, especially when he picked up Miranda and swung her around in celebration of being done.

With his arms wrapped around her, Miranda whispered, "Oh Lo...Nick. I wish I knew what to say to you right now."

He puzzled. What did she mean? She tightened her face and let out a long sigh before leading him back to their hotel room. Before he could entertain any thoughts, Miranda spoke some words which didn't make sense to Nick. An instant later, the headache lifted.

With a quick scowl Lodi made with Nick's face, he asked, "Why did you make me break character, Dean? The heck!"

Pressing her words and clutching her hands, Dean pleaded, "Out of vertiginous fear, Lodi. I don't want to lose you. Not in a multiplicity of eons."

Cupping his forehead, Lodi asked, "Fear of what? That I'll like being a man? That you'll like being a girl? Or what?"

Mumbling, Dean told him, "Because I tried to mitigate my terror of the displacement of reality with the die for your happiness. And it's reflections are masticating me."

Lodi folded his arms. "I know avenues of pleasure and hard dickings to make you talk if you're gonna try to dance around it."

Dean took a deep breath. "The die usually does not change reality. Not actually. Except for last night. That was the first time I made it do that...since we met. For you. It could only be for you, Lodi."

Raising his fingers with a frown, Lodi shook his head. "That...no. You found the die after we met."

Tears sparkled in Dean's brilliant blue eyes. "No...not even close, I'm afraid. I found it right after college. I was alone. Everyone I knew moved on. My uncle passed away. I had no idea what I found. I rerolled my life...once, twice, three times...on and on and on. I spun the wheel of chance. I was almost ready to give up. Then, you were in my life. Someone like me with someone as amazing as you."

Lodi tightened his face. Dean waved her hands. "I didn't...I didn't do anything unsavory to you or perturb the structure of your mind. You were perfect, how could I? But you already knew about the die and it was because of you I met the others. My entire life built on one lucky roll of a die. But I swear, according to the roll, we'd known each other less than a year."

With a stern sigh, Lodi just asked, "So...everything a year after we met....was you?"

Dean nervously nodded and looked at her dainty feet.

Stomping towards Dean, Lodi wrapped his arms around her tightly and gave her a firm spank on the butt. She yelped but more out of surprise than pain.

Lodi scolded her, "You ditz! That's such a dumb secret to keep. You should've just said something years ago. Honestly, I was vaguely-apathetic towards you till like a year after we met and I never understood why."

The blush which filled Dean's soft cheeks was so bright that it seemed like makeup. Lodi covered it with kisses and said, "I made a promise to you. Till death. In the Mines of Moria and on eagles in the sky. To split our XP and mana and share all upgrades. I love YOU, ya dumb-dumb. And not because some body-warping, mind-melting numbered die told me to do it."

He could see that Dean still had other words to say to her and other worries that were weighing on her thoughts. Lodi had a cure for that. With a whisper and a wink, he said, "Now put me back where I belong for this weekend, with the girl I fell in love with. Everything else we can work out later, okay?"

Dean still looked concerned but she let out a soft breath and agreed with a kiss.