Gamers’ Omega (Gimme MMMMMore #5)

Chapter 4

~January~

T he Bosque Mall was smaller than I expected, clearly built before the heyday of the American shopping mall. There were only spaces for three anchor stores, rather than the much higher number in newer builds.

The department stores that had once occupied those spaces were long defunct, having been taken over by two grocers and an office supply store. But other than that, it was clear that the management was invested in the mall’s success.

Somebody had known how to pivot as newer malls were built, and as shopping habits changed. That had kept the place relevant when many others like it had closed.

I found a parking spot close to one entrance and stepped from my car, only to be hit by a blast of frigid air. A smattering of snowflakes swirled as I hurried to the doors.

I understood how the old mall had survived as soon as I walked inside. Missing were the glaring signs of retail chains found in almost every other mall across the country. Instead, it had become a place for local merchants. A quiet bookstore occupied one of the larger spaces, while—instead of the standard teen clothing—a place that seemed to focus on quincea?era dresses was a few doors down. Missing was the bright store with rows upon rows of mass-produced sneakers, replaced with one that smelled of leather and a sign proclaiming the boots within were handmade.

I strolled past a tobacco shop, a store that seemed to exclusively sell fancy pens and stationery, and a place dedicated to kitchen wares. There wasn’t a food court, but there were several restaurants.

I loved it! I’d have to return another day just to browse all the little niche shops.

The game store was about halfway between the entrance I’d used, and what looked like another. As I approached, I could see that it was abuzz with activity—people chatting and finding spots around plastic tables.

“Eric!”

I looked around and spotted Beck waving at me. Even from across the store, it was clear that he was in his element. He had a huge grin and his eyes sparkled.

I weaved through the throng until I was standing next to him.

“Glad you could make it!” Beck declared.

“Me too,” I replied. “Is it always so packed?”

He laughed. “During the winter, yes. It slows a bit in the summer when people want to do things outside.”

I looked around as people settled in. “So what’s the process?”

Beck shrugged. “Each table has a different game. A few might already be full, but other than that just pull up an empty chair where you want to play.”

I glanced at the table beside us, saw an open box for a popular card game, and plopped onto a chair.

Beck raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you want to see what’s at the other tables?”

I grinned. “Next time! I’ve wanted to play this one for a while.”

He laughed. “Fair enough.”

Chatter died down over the next few minutes as people took seats, then a new energy filled the room. Beck reviewed the rules, and I could hear people at other tables doing the same. Finally, the game started.

Beck went easy on everybody in the first few rounds—fingers twitching when he had a good card. Then, about half an hour in, he started pushing everybody by playing more competitively. His timing was impeccable. We were all comfortable with the rules and ready to play in earnest.

Soon we were all laughing as plays were made and negated; people stole cards from each other’s hands, and players were slowly eliminated.

Beck was an excellent gamemaster—pushing us when the game lagged and enforcing rules as necessary. He subtly paid attention to everybody and made sure we all had fun.

I was knocked out third from the end—which let me watch as the game came down to Beck and a little girl. I couldn’t hold back a smile as he let her win, though he wasn’t obvious about it. We all spent a few minutes chatting between rounds as a few people wandered off to find a different game, and new players joined. There was another quick review of the rules, then the second game started.

We were in the middle of the fourth game when somebody clapped to get everybody’s attention. I turned to see an employee standing in the middle of the room.

“Hey everybody,” he announced. “I just got the call from the big boss, and he’s asked me to close early due to the weather. If you could finish within twenty minutes or so, we would appreciate it.”

“Got it,” Tony stated. “We’ll wrap things up.”

“Thanks, man,” the employee said before returning to his place at the register.

“Speed round rules for fifteen minutes,” Tony declared. “If you finish before then, have a nice night. If your game isn’t over, take a moment to figure out among yourselves who won. Drive safe.”

There was a moment of silence, then I turned back to Beck. Our eyes met, and he shrugged.

“You heard the man,” he said, breaking eye contact to look around the table. “Speed round time.”

The mood was still light, but gameplay turned serious as we shifted to wrapping up quickly. Beck revealed his competitive side, relentlessly knocking people out until he won. However, nobody seemed to mind.

People packed up and said their goodbyes. Soon almost everybody was gone, with only Beck, Ian, Tony, Freddie and a couple others putting games back into boxes.

“Do you guys need help putting things away?” I asked as the employee wheeled out a cart.

“You don’t have to,” Freddie replied.

“I’m here, might as well.”

“Boss said to just stack the games on the cart and get them to the back,” the employee said. “He’ll put them in the cabinet tomorrow. He wants everybody out before the storm gets worse.”

I nodded then floated from table to table, helping to gather pieces and put them away. Within a few minutes, all the games had been placed on the cart and the few remaining people were saying their goodbyes.

“Did you have fun?” Freddie asked as I fell into step with the four of them as we left the store.

I grinned. “I haven’t found a good place for games in several years. Tonight’s vibe was just what I was looking for.”

Ian draped himself over my shoulders, which he somehow managed to make not awkward—despite the fact that we were walking. “So does that mean that we’ll see you here again?”

I laughed. “Jealous that I spent all night at Beck’s table?”

“Always,” he replied with a fake pout in his voice.

The temperature dropped as we rounded the corner near the doors, then I stopped short as I got a glance out the glass.

“Hey!” Ian protested as he stumbled behind me. Then, a second later, “Oh, shit.”

Cones of yellow light illuminated a thick blanket of snow and near-whiteout conditions.

“This…” I squeaked, “is more than my weather app predicted.”

“Are you going to be ok getting home?” Freddie asked.

I swallowed, then nodded. “I’ll just take it slow.”

“Oh-kay,” Tony replied, drawing out the word with an unsure tone to his voice.

I squared my shoulders and strode toward the doors. I’d driven in snow before. Maybe not that much, but all I needed to do was be careful.

The guys chatted behind me, but I tuned them out as I tried to prepare myself for the drive home. I had plenty of gas so I wouldn’t have to worry about stopping. The streets were all well-lit, and I figured most people would be off the roads.

I was almost to the door when I heard my name. I turned to see Freddie jogging to catch up.

“Yeah?” I asked.

“Gimme your phone.”

I blinked, pulled my phone from my pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over. “Umm… ok.”

He swiped the screen for a moment, then handed it back. The screen showed him as a new contact.

“Text me when you get home,” he said. “How long would the drive take if it wasn’t snowing?”

“About… twenty minutes?” I guessed as I opened my texting app and sent him a message. “There, now you have my number.”

Freddie nodded. “Given how bad it is, I’ll give you at least an hour and a half before worrying.”

I blanched. “D-do you really think it’s that bad?”

He glanced out the window. “Yeah.”

I swallowed. “O-ok. I’ll text when I get home.”

“Thank you.”

I made sure my coat was zipped, then pushed the door open.

Frigid air blasted my face, making me shiver.

“Damn, that’s cold!” Beck complained behind me. “Was this storm supposed to be this bad?”

“You know how the weather is,” Tony griped. “Come on, let’s get home.”

I took a deep breath and made several strides toward the parking lot. Unfortunately, I’d barely made it a handful of paces when the cement turned slick under my feet.

“Walk like a penguin,” I muttered. “Walk like a penguin.”

“Damn, that’s icy,” Ian grumbled from somewhere behind me. “We’ve still got salt in the garage, right?”

“I think there’s half a bag,” Tony replied.

“Good enough,” Ian stated.

I slowed as I reached the curb ramp. Unfortunately, as soon as I started down the slight incline, my feet slipped out from under me. I pinwheeled my arms in an attempt to catch my balance, but to no avail. A second later I was on the ground with a throbbing ass where I’d hit the concrete.

“Eric!” Freddie cried, rushing over as fast as he could penguin walk. “Are you ok?”

I groaned and shifted to rub my ass, noting how wet my pants already were. “No lasting damage, except to my dignity.”

A hand appeared in front of me, and I smiled as Beck helped me to my feet.

“Do you think the streets have been salted?” Tony asked.

Ian snorted. “Of course not. This is way worse than what was expected.”

I shivered as I looked out at the road.

I shook my head, said my goodbyes, and resumed penguin walking toward my car. I was about halfway to it when Ian called out. “Eric?”

I paused and waited for him to catch up. “Yeah?”

He motioned to my car. “Please tell me that’s not yours.”

“Umm…”

“Where do you live?” he asked, a frown crossing his face.

“Near Sunlit Hills and Juniper.”

The frown deepened. “Absolutely not.” He grabbed my shoulders and steered me back toward the group.

“Wait… what?”

“Look,” he stated as he guided me toward an SUV, “you were already clearly nervous when you thought it was just snow. But it’s ice, and your car is rear wheel drive. The weather will only get worse as you go. It’s always worse on that side of town.”

“It’s not as if I have another option,” I argued.

“ We are your other option,” he huffed. “We’re only a few blocks away and have a clean guest room. Text our address to a friend if you’re worried, but I promise you’re safe with us. We’ll bring you back in the morning once the roads have been salted.”

The cautious part of me tried to argue that it was a bad idea to go home with the four alphas. But they’d never been anything but kind to me, and the part of me that was scared to attempt driving on thick ice won out.

“Ok…” I sighed.

The others were already inside the SUV as Ian held a door open for me. Tony glanced back from the front passenger seat and gave me a tight smile. “Sorry. I know you’d rather go home, but I drove a little rear-wheel like that back in high school and I was terrified every time it got icy. I would have been a nervous wreck until we heard from you.”

I took a seat in the rear row while Ian climbed into the swivel seat behind Beck—who was driving. “I-it’s ok. I’m not comfortable driving on ice, so it’s a good thing.”

Tony’s smile loosened into a relieved one.

“What time do we need to have you back to pick up your car tomorrow?” Freddie asked as we started moving. “The roads will be salted by then, though probably not great. Give yourself plenty of time to get home and ready for work.”

“I… actually have tomorrow off,” I admitted. “So whenever works best for you.”

Freddie nodded. “Good to know. There will likely be delay announcements overnight, so we’ll play it by ear when we know everybody’s schedules.”

“Ok.”

The SUV fishtailed slightly as we turned from the parking lot to the main road, causing me to reach for something to hold onto.

“Shit,” Ian grumbled. “I hope Bennett makes it home ok.”

I blinked, wondering who he meant.

“He was right behind us,” Freddie replied. “He’d closed the register during the fifteen minute warning and only had to turn off the lights and pull down the gate. Also, he’s got a four-wheel drive and lives almost as close as we do. He should be ok.”

“Bennett’s the employee?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Tony said. “Good guy. One of Shane’s best.”

“Shane owns the game store,” Freddie clarified.

“Ah.”

The road was far emptier than it should have been at that time of night, but there were still too many cars for the conditions, and several people seemed intent on risking everybody’s lives by driving far too recklessly.

“Asshole,” Beck grumbled as a lifted pickup sped past us.

My grip on the oh shit handle tightened.

“Two more lights,” Tony said, looking at me. “Then we can turn into a residential section.”

I nodded, clinging to the handle. Staying the night with them was increasingly proving to be the right idea.

Beck turned onto a narrow residential street, fishtailing again as he came out of the turn. Then he turned into a driveway a minute later and parked in the garage.

“Welcome home,” Beck stated with a sigh of relief as he turned off the SUV.

“Come on in,” Ian invited as he climbed out.

I followed him through the garage and inside as he opened a door for me. The scent of warm food filled the air while a small bird chirped in another room.

“We’ve got enough for Eric to have dinner too, right?” Tony asked as he stepped in behind me.

“Yeah,” Freddie answered. “There should be plenty. I had planned to take leftovers for lunch.”

“It’s beef stew from the slow cooker,” Ian said, pausing to hang up a coat. “Is that ok?”

“I… Um… Yeah?” I replied.

Freddie laughed. “That was his way of asking if you’re vegetarian or have a special diet.”

I laughed. “No. Beef stew sounds wonderful.”

The guys stayed next to the door for a few more seconds, taking off shoes and coats.

“Should I take my shoes off too?” I asked.

“If you don’t mind,” Beck said. “I’ll grab some slippers for you to use.”

“I’ve got it,” Tony said. “Go let Pico out.”

Beck glanced at me. “Are you ok with birds?”

I blinked. “I guess?”

He chuckled. “Pico’s my budgie. He’s little but flighted, and some people don’t like a bird flying around.”

“Ummm…” I shrugged. “I haven’t really thought about it. I’ll let you know if it’s a problem?”

He nodded. “Good enough. He’s friendly, but will probably land on you to introduce himself.”

“Ok.”

Beck eased past and strode down the hall toward what appeared to be a living room.

Somebody tapped my shoulder, and I turned to see Tony holding a pair of slippers. “They’re clean. We’ve got a few pairs for guests, and always wash them after.”

“Thank you,” I replied, taking the slippers and putting them on.

“I’d better go check the seasonings,” Freddie said, squeezing past and veering off into what I assumed was the kitchen, leaving Ian, Tony, and myself in the hall.

“Do you want me to get you a piece of mail for the address?” Ian asked. “Or do you want me to just tell you so you can text it to a friend?”

A slow smile spread across my face. I might have been nervous in the parking lot, but now that I was in their home, all the nerves were gone.

I felt safe.

“I don’t think I need to text anybody,” I replied.

He studied me for a few seconds. “Are you sure? We won’t be offended.”

I chuckled. “I trust you. Just don’t make me regret it.”

Ian laughed. “Do you want to see the guest room first or chat in the living room while we wait for Freddie to finish dinner?”

“Chat.”

He motioned down the hall, and I headed that way, but I froze when I got a look at the living room.

Beck was sitting on the largest U-shaped couch I’d ever seen, with a small green and yellow bird perched on one finger. The bird chirped and trilled while he murmured to it.

A dark fireplace was next to the couch. I briefly wondered why nobody had started a fire before realizing that it probably wasn’t safe with a bird flying around. Then my eyes fell on the bookshelves.

“Oh… my… God…” I laughed, unable to tear my eyes away. The shelves were jammed with a mix of games and game books.

Ian chuckled. “Yanno… everybody has that response.”

I smiled. “That’s a small fortune in games.”

Beck turned to me. “Gotta know the games to lead them.”

I shrugged. “Makes sense.” I motioned to the wall. “May I?”

“Go for it,” Tony said as he stepped around me and strode over to the couch, dodging a matching ottoman as he walked. He plopped onto it and held out a finger, which Pico flew onto. “We’d either play a game or watch something on television after dinner anyway. If you see something you want to try, we’ll do that.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Nonsense,” Beck argued. “You’re a guest. The least we could do is let you pick out the entertainment.”

“Pico,” Tony said, turning his attention to the bird. “Were you a good bird while we were gone?”

“Pico, Pico,” the bird replied in a tiny scratchy voice.

“Spin?” Tony asked, spinning his finger in the air.

Pico dutifully spun around.

I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. Seeing the alphas interact with the little bird was just too cute.

“Pico’s a ham,” Ian said as he settled a hand against my back and urged me toward the bookshelf. “He loves attention and knows how to use his cuteness to his advantage.”

“You sound like a man who knows,” I teased.

Ian laughed. “Oh, he’s got us all under his spell. I never considered a bird as a pet before I met Beck, but now I can’t imagine not having a house filled with those little chirps.”

“Have…” I started. I swallowed, then decided to go for it. “Have the four of you been together long?”

Ian hummed. “Depends on how you look at things.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dinner in five,” Freddie said, coming in from the kitchen. He smiled at me. “I overheard. What he means is that there was no real official start. It just kinda happened.”

“Now I’m more confused.”

Freddie cocked his head to one side. “Well… Ian and I met in grad school. He was there for architecture, and I was studying historic building preservation. We had a couple overlapping classes and got to know each other.”

“I worked at the coffeeshop next to the college,” Tony stated. “They started coming in and one day I overheard them discussing games. I told them about the game night Beck ran.”

“It wasn’t official or anything, like now,” Beck explained. “Just a small group at my apartment once a week.”

“From there,” Ian took over, “it all kinda just… happened. The four of us started hanging out more outside of game nights. Too much beer led to drunken fooling around. We realized we liked fooling around with each other, and eventually we decided that we all worked together. We pooled our resources, got ourselves a house, and it’s been the four of us since.”

“It’s been about five years since we all moved in together,” Freddie said, answering my next question before I could ask it.

“So… official for five years, but together in some way for longer?” I asked.

“Yep!” Ian laughed. “Like I said, it depends on how you look at things.”

I did a bit of quick math in my head. “You’re all around thirty?”

“Close enough,” Freddie replied, moving around me to perch on the back of the couch. “I’m turning thirty-two next month, Ian did last month. Beck is thirty, and Tony is twenty-eight.”

“And you?” Ian teased.

My cheeks heated slightly. “I’m twenty-nine.”

Flapping, and Pico landed on Freddie’s head.

“Hey Pic,” Freddie said, offering a finger to the bird. “Step up.”

Pico hopped onto Freddie’s finger and I turned my attention to the wall of games.

The variety was striking. Brightly-colored boxes held board and card games, while several shelves were filled with role-playing rulebooks. Almost one entire shelf was dedicated to various fandom versions of Monopoly, and the end closest to the couch held a modest selection of video games.

I had started back towards the card section when there was more flapping and Pico landed on my shoulder. I froze, turned my head, and looked at the small bird. “Hello?”

Pico chirped a couple times, then said, “Pico, Pico.”

I looked up to see Freddie holding back a laugh.

“What do I do?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Whatever. He’ll hang on if you want to keep browsing. We walk around with him on a shoulder all the time.”

“Pico, Pico,” the bird said, as if in agreement.

I took a deep breath and took another step toward the other end of the shelves.

“I love your butt!” Pico declared.

I tripped over my own feet, stumbling and putting a hand on the shelf to keep my balance.

Pico flew off with a squawk.

Ian and Freddie were doubled over with laughter as Pico landed on Tony’s head.

“Did he…?” I gasped. “Did I hear that right?”

“Sorry about that,” Beck said as a blush crept up his cheeks. “I should have warned you. That’s his favorite phrase right now… besides his name anyway.”

“Favorite?” I asked, finally righting myself. “You mean he has multiple?”

“Oh yeah,” Tony replied. “Pico’s quite the chatterbox when he feels like it. He’s good at picking up new words and phrases.”

“Good now,” Beck clarified. “It takes a lot of work to teach a bird to talk. It gets easier over time, but they still have to hear things over and over.”

“So… somebody taught him that?” I asked.

Beck made a face. “Not… exactly.”

“Huh?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Once they know words, they tend to start mashups. He said it once or twice, then these assholes,” he motioned to the other three, “encouraged it.”

I glanced around to see Ian, Freddie, and Tony with fake innocent expressions.

“It’s funny, ok?” Ian finally replied. “And who doesn’t like to hear that they have a nice ass?”

Beck sighed in a ‘See what I have to deal with?’ way.

A chuckle turned into a laugh, and I grabbed a game at random.

My nerves were gone, and I knew I was going to enjoy the unexpected sleepover.