Vaudevillain

The airport, like always, was loud as Dylan made his way toward the security line. His friends, and Jack, followed next to him, the latter holding his hand as they meandered. She smiled at him as they walked, and Dylan couldn’t help but smile back.

Overall, the small vacation had been good. More than good even, and it pained him that he had to leave. There was so much more he wanted to do with Jack.

“This visit was too short,” he said with mild grumpiness.

She chuckled, opening her mouth to respond. Unfortunately, Carol got there first.

“Oh my gosh he’s got it baaaad,” she quipped. “Watch out, Jack. You know what they say about men who get too clingy.”

Jack rolled her eyes and pushed her friend away. “Go be annoying somewhere else for a moment.”

“The gall!” Carol joked, doing her best to look offended. The huge smile on her face put any notion of offense out of everyone’s mind.

Thomas rolled his eyes. “There’s a Starbo’s Coffee over there. Let me get you a drink and we’ll leave them to it.”

“But Tomcat, we gotta watch their romcom goodbye extravaganza!” Carol complained. Though she didn’t resist when Thomas grabbed her arm and led her away.

Dylan just shook his head. “Carol never tones it down, does she?”

“Only when she’s working,” Jack laughed. “Trust me, it’s like culture shock. I actually thought she had a twin when I first saw it.”

Dylan let loose an involuntary chortle.

“For real!” Jack continued. “Her face was all”—Jack made a face fit for the sternest of kindergarten teachers—“and her voice was like a no nonsense lawyer in TV dramas.”

“I don’t believe you,” Dylan said. “Mostly because there is no way someone like her can make that kind of face.”

“Right, I promise to get you a video then,” Jack answered.

“For posterity’s sake,” Dylan said.

Jack nodded. “Yeah. Also because I have to spread the short-circuit mental breakdown that comes from seeing her personality swing.”

“Well, good to know you won’t be bored now that I’m leaving,” Dylan said.

“Is that jealousy, good sir?” Jack teased.

“More concern,” Dylan answered. “The life of the party is about to leave. How are you going to get on with your life with me all the way across the country.”

Jack laughed. “Wow, I didn’t expect that level of snark from you. Usually it only comes out with Dr. Zlo.”

“Well, I learned that you liked a bit of snark, so…” Dylan trailed.

Jack stepped forward and grabbed his other hand, looping it over the suitcase handle. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with teasing mirth. “I like more about you than just your snark, you know.”

“Uh,” Dylan said stupidly, unprepared for Jack to get so close.

“Uh-huh,” she said, moving a closer.

Looking back on it, Dylan wouldn’t say he was unprepared for Jack to kiss him, but he certainly would have expected it to happen much further in the future. Which is why he kept mentally kicking himself as he froze in place when their lips touched.

Of all the stupid times to lose his composure, it just had to be there!

“Bye,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah, wow, okay. Yeah, bye,” Dylan said, the words falling out of him like stones rolling down a hill. He couldn’t stop himself from sounding stupid if he tried.

Jack giggled at his reaction. “I take it you enjoyed that.”

“Best experience of my life to date,” Dylan answered.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

She beamed up at him, quickly pulling him into a hug. Dylan returned it, glad for once that the emotional high drowned out his beating heart. It also kept his focus off of how nice she smelled. And how nice the hug felt.

“When the next theater season ends, it’ll be my turn to visit you,” Jack said as they broke away.

“For sure,” Dylan answered, doing his best to keep his words from falling out.

“Until then, get ready for some more shenanigans with Ms. Tama,” Jack said.

“I will,” Dylan answered.

“Where’s all that wit gone to, Dr. Zlo?” Jack teased.

“I’m afraid you knocked all cognition out of me with that kiss,” Dylan answered frankly.

Jack blushed, pushing him away. “Alright, get outta here you. And message me when you get back okay?”

“I’ll message you up until the plane takes off,” Dylan answered, some of his mental facilities returning. “I haven’t checked messages from anyone during this trip and I just know Rip is going to have sent a bunch of dumb memes.”

“Ha!” Jack snorted. “Okay then. Now, get going before you miss your flight.”

“Aye aye,” Dylan said, saluting.

“Bye, Dill!” Carol said with an excited wave.

“See you, man,” Thomas said with a smile. “And just so you know I’ll be reaching out to finalize everything on the event.”

“For sure,” Dylan answered. He waved goodbye before turning to the security line. “Later guys!”

True to his word, Dylan continued messaging Jack as he moved from security to his gate. He had also correctly predicted Riptide sending him a number of stupidly funny memes. Ones that made absolutely no sense but still had him laughing.

He sighed as the plane took off, almost unable to believe how lucky he was.

Once the plane landed Dylan made sure he messaged his new girlfriend. And wasn’t that something he never expected, never in a million years. Moreso because Dylan hadn’t even really been looking. Somehow, he’d just fallen into the whole thing.

Not that he was complaining. Jack liked games as much as he liked superheroes, and Dylan had always loved listening to people talk about their passions. Plus, Jack wasn’t shy about asking him to join in on things, something Dylan realized he might need in his life. He really only realized he was more a passive person after playing Dr. Zlo.

He messaged Jack again when he made it home, letting her know he was safe.

JackOLeen:

Good, I would have reanimated your corpse just to kill you again if something happened.

Superfan39526:

I’ll keep that in mind if Grog ever dies in the campaign.

Actually, using Grog’s corpse would be totally metal and he would greatly approve.

JackOLeen:

Ha! Well now we have to make it happen, you know that right?

Respec your character and make him an undead after something nasty.

Try to play it off as you having just a real bad allergy or rash or something.

Dylan chuckled, falling onto his bed as he continued to message Jack well into the night. Eventually, the conversation moved from Grog to Dr. Zlo and Ms. Tama.

Superfan39526:

Do you want to play them as a couple by the way?

JackOLeen:

I don’t know.

Part of me wants to because it sounds stupid fun.

But another part of me thinks it would be more fun to not.

Superfan39526:

I know what you mean.

There’s potential, Dr. Zlo and Ms. Tama can do a whole ‘Couple Goals’ heist/crimespree.

But maybe after this big event?

I have a feeling this one is going to be a whole thing.

JackOLeen:

A whole thing?

Superfan39526:

A whole thing dipped in chocolate and wrapped in gold foil.

JackOLeen:

With a pretty bow on top?

Superfan39526:

You know it.

Honestly, I’m kinda wondering if we can even pull it off?

A whole parallel world? A big morality changer switching heroes and villains?

It’s a pretty big ask.

JackOLeen:

We can do it.

This is only like, what, two times bigger than the moon mission?

Easy.

Dylan snorted a laugh at the confidence.

Superfan39526:

Yeah, you’re right.

I’m sure nothing is going to go wrong at any point.

JackOLeen:

Oh, I never said that.

Dylan could practically feel the smug smile from his girlfriend.

JackOLeen:

I just said it would be easy.

I don’t know if you know this, but you’re actually kinda amazing at thinking on your feet.

So if something goes wrong, Dr. Zlo is going to have some kind of solution.

Or you’ll have some kind of answer.

Dylan couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed at the praise. He didn’t think he was as good as Jack said, and told her as much.

JackOLeen:

You’re kidding, right?

Weren’t you the one who totally stopped NOT Superiorman from destroying our death ray?

Superfan39526:

But I wasn’t even really trying to stop him. I just didn’t want him to get rid of Cass.

JackOLeen:

So? Doesn’t mean it wasn’t a crazy good improv solution.

You really gotta be better at giving yourself credit mister evil mastermind.

My boyfriend can’t be having confidence issues.

Outside the bedroom or in.

Dylan almost choked at the insinuation.

Superfan39526:

Right, I’m going to bed.

Sleep well.

JackOLeen:

Ha! Okay then you.

But you might want to get used to the jokes.

More might be coming now that I know I can tease you with them.

Superfan39526:

Please don’t.

JackOLeen:

No promises ;)