A Glimpse of Emerald

After a few more minutes of conversation, Cameron checked the time on his smartphone. "Damn," he exclaimed, "it's almost 11:30. We've been here for four hours." He flagged down their waitress and asked for their check.

As they waited for the bill to arrive, they continued to chat lightly. Every gamer had a story to tell about their hobby, and as a game store owner Peri had heard her fair share of them. Some of them were dreadfully boring while most of the rest suffered from a terminal case of 'you had to be there.' Cameron had a way of making his stories engaging. Maybe it was his hand gestures, or the way he wove in tales of the times he made a mistake or was 'that' player at a table without realizing it. It didn't hurt that Mark had been right - Cameron was easy on the eyes.

When the waitress set the bill on the table, Cameron pulled out his wallet and proceeded to count out the exact total of the bill, down to the penny, before throwing a cash tip on top of it. "I can't remember the last time I saw someone pay exact change for something," Peri said. "The candy bars in my store only cost a dollar and people still use debit cards."

"Yeah...um..." Cameron stammered as he turned his glance away from Peri. "...I don't have a debit card."

Out of all the unbelievable statements Peri had heard in her 30+ years, Cameron's was immediately in the top five. "You don't have a debit card? What about a credit card?"

Cameron shook his head. "Nope. Work pays me under the table every week. I'm an entirely cash Cameron," he joked weakly.

Paid under the table entirely in cash. No credit or debit card, meaning no bank account. Never telling Peri where he lived, anything about his roommate, or any details about his past. And a complete aversion to being on social media. Forget red flags, Cameron was waving around a huge red stop sign. In Peri's experience though, those red flags came with a certain cockiness. If there was one thing Cameron seemed to lack, it was a deep reservoir of self-confidence. He had enough to go swimming, but trying to dive in would crack his head open like an egg.

The nervous smile that touched his lips served to momentarily assuage her concerns. So far Cameron had been nothing but kind and polite. She'd continue to give him the benefit of the doubt until she had a reason not to. "Hey," she offered, "there's something in the store I'd really like to show you. Would you mind swinging by for five minutes before calling it a night?"

With a nod from Cameron, the pair grabbed their jackets and stepped out onto the sidewalk. The last vestiges of winter drifted lightly in the night air, grudgingly giving way to springtime. With cool weather and clear skies ahead, it was a pleasant two-block walk to the Dragon's Trove. Once inside Peri led Cameron to the back corner. A large aquarium had taken over the spot previously occupied by a cardboard standup of Loki. Peri gestured towards the fish tank with a flourish. "Tell me what you think."

Cameron stepped up to the tank. He bent over, hands on his thighs, to look inside. "Oh wow," he said with awe.

A large, vibrant diorama had been created inside of the aquarium depicting a desperate fight against a wicked monster. The sides and back of the tank were lined with rolling hills thick with trees, with a smooth glass mirror representing a small pond set into the heavily flocked bottom. Several dry brushed foam rocks were dotted through the faux grass to break up the sightlines. In the middle of the tank, several finely detailed miniatures were placed to appear in combat with a large green dragon. While the miniatures representing the adventuring party had been painted with great care, their sole purpose was to draw attention to the dragon.

The dragon was low to the ground. Graceful wings painted to appear translucent swept to each side, with wickedly curved talons hanging in the air like daggers. With its neck stretched out, the dragon's jaws were wide open with a mighty roar that showed off sharp teeth and a blue tongue. Instead of fire, however, the dragon breathed a sickly yellow cloud of caustic chlorine gas represented by a cluster of spray-painted cotton balls. Two figures were enveloped by the cotton, one a knight brandishing her sword and shield while the other was a figure in leather armor face down, having succumbed to the breath weapon, on grass painted a dried, dead brown.

But it was the dragon's scales that held Cameron's attention. The Trapische Green had settled into the miniscule grooves and imperfections of the model with a hint of unevenness that caused the scales to gleam subtly. A slight turn of Cameron's head was enough for the color to shift, as if the model was coated with crushed emeralds instead of thinned paint. The green scales bestowed the dragon with an aura of terrifying majesty worthy of such a fearsome beast.

"I've wanted to do a display like this for a while now," Peri said proudly. "I had the tank and the miniatures but didn't have anything to make the whole thing pop. I wasn't even thinking about using the dragon until I started working on it. As soon as the paint bonded with the primer it gave off that shimmer and everything else fell right into place. Once I finished the dragon I touched up the miniatures, cut out and flocked the terrain, and put all this together over the weekend with Mark's help."

"You've definitely got a great eye for color," Cameron said, now looking down on the diorama through the top of the tank. "Design too. Just by looking at this, I can see how the combat's gone up until now." He glanced at Peri with an impressed smile. "It could still go either way, but I'd put my money on the dragon."

"I'm thinking about doing another display in a few months. Same dragon, but surrounded by its brood. Young dragons, hatchlings, dragonborn, kobolds, those kinds of creatures. What can I say? I love dragons."

Cameron shook his head one final time in wonderment. "And all this started from a glimpse of emerald."

"Yeah. I guess that makes you my muse." There was a hint of embarrassment in her laugh. "I started painting minis when I was in the hospital to pass the time, and when I was discharged I did the figures for Mark's very first D&D campaign." She gently tapped the glass case. "I prefer painting over playing. Heck, I prefer reading role-playing games over playing them. I own every single book they ever put out for Rifts and have absolutely NO intention of ever playing it."

Cameron blew out a sharp chuckle. "No one plays Rifts, they stumble into it. Although I have heard good things about the Savage Worlds version that just came out."

"That's actually next on my reading list. I love learning about all kinds of different worlds and settings but I get more of a thrill out of seeing people react to a miniature I've painted than I do sitting in a chair for six hours rolling dice. The only game I'll play at a drop of a hat is 7th Sea."

"Hey, gaming's a multi-faceted hobby. Painting is a part of it, and there isn't a gamer alive who hasn't bought a game because the setting sounded neat or the book had good-looking artwork. If anything, I'd call you a gaming enabler." It was Cameron's turn to give a restrained chuckle. "Besides, I love dragons too. I got Bahamut and Tiamat tattooed on my shoulders for my twenty-first birthday."

"Really? That's kind of cool."

"Is it? Being a guy in his late 20's with a pair of dragon tattoos doesn't exactly interest the ladies."

If there was a way to casually twist one's body in a coy manner, Peri was doing her best to find it. "Well, this lady's interested. I'd like to see them if you're OK with it."

"Sure." He slid off his jacket and tossed it on a nearby table before hesitating. "I have to take my shirt off," he warned Peri. "But I have a tank top underneath."

"As long as you're comfortable," she stressed.

Cameron proceeded to pull his black turtleneck over his head, revealing the aforementioned white tank top adorning his slender frame. It was his arms that immediately grabbed Peri's attention. Her eyes traced the defined muscles from his wrists all the way to his shoulders. At the top of Cameron's right arm was a tattoo of the creature known to Dungeons & Dragons players as Bahamut, the king of all good metallic dragons. He sat proudly against Cameron's shoulder, head held high with wings swept back, striking a majestic pose. The gray tattoo had been highlighted in several places with white ink, giving the dragon platinum-looking skin.

As opposed to the regal bearing of Bahamut, the multicolored creature tattooed on Cameron's other shoulder dripped with pure malice - Tiamat, queen of all evil chromatic dragons. Her body, outstretched wings, and long neck had been drawn with fiery red ink. The dragon's head stared out from Cameron's skin with a look of contempt. To its left were two more heads atop slender necks, one onyx black and one sapphire blue, while the right side boasted heads of emerald green and ice white.

Peri's hand covered her mouth as she stared in amazement at Cameron's tattoos. "Wow," she told him, "those are amazing. How long did those take?"

"Two sessions for Bahamut, three for Tiamat," he answered, "two months total. The artist had to wait for the skin to heal over before adding the next layer of color." Cameron looked at the tattoo of Tiamat before sighing. "My Dad and I had a fight one day and he told me I was wasting my life by not being in the family business. So I decided to permanently scar my body as a way of proving him wrong. He wasn't enthused by the decision."

"Well, I think they look great. Whoever did those did a fantastic job with mixing the ink. Believe me, I know how hard it can be to blend colors."

The air between them slowly became filled with that familiar awkward silence that occurs between two people wondering if they should make some kind of move. Peri smiled shyly, while Cameron scratched the back of his head instead of putting his turtleneck back on. She enjoyed talking to him, and wanted to know more about him. Not about his past gaming experience or where he came from, but his hopes. His dreams. What he thought about moving from (probably) the South to a small resort town in Colorado. His favorite shirt. If he snored. If he had any other tattoos. And, whispered in the furthest recesses of her mind, what his lips would feel like against hers.

Before she could act, however, Cameron began speaking. "Tonight was the most fun I've had in a long time," he told her. "I'd like to do it again sometime."

"So would I..." Peri began, her spirits soaring, until a clanging bell interrupted her.

Cameron winced at the tone. "One sec," he said while pulling out his smartphone. "Heh. It's my roommate. She apparently has a gentleman caller who might be spending the night."

"Oh. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all," he responded. "Just have to throw on headphones and prepare myself for awkward breakfast conversation if they're still there."

Her instincts reached out and latched onto the opportunity before her before Peri realized it.

"Want to just crash at my place? I'm only a block over."

Cameron blinked in surprise at her question. "Are...are you cool with me staying over," he hesitantly probed.

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."

"...sure. I'll step outside so you can set the alarm."

Peri waited for him to step outside before rubbing her face. Inviting Cameron to spend the night had caught even herself off guard. Her brain, however, assisted her in rationalizing the offer. She and Cameron were still in the friend zone. Which meant she was inviting a friend to stay over so as to not disturb their roommate. A friend helping a friend. That was it. With a firm nod of agreement with herself, Peri whistled quietly to herself as she began closing up the Dragon's Trove.

X X X X X

"Welcome to Casa La Peri," she told Cameron while locking the apartment door behind them. "Make yourself at home."

"Damn," the young man whistled. "You DO have a ton of role-playing books."

A flat-screen TV was bolted to one of the living room's walls, while a glass case with several painted miniatures was nestled in the corner next to the bedroom door. Otherwise, every possible square-inch of wall was covered in bookcases stretching from floor to ceiling.

Cameron stepped towards the closest one. An amazed look crossed his face as he took in the various role-playing books and box sets lining the shelves. "Wow," he said in awe, "I've never seen print copies of some of these games...holy shit." He turned towards Peri, jaw dropped, and gestured towards the bookshelf. "You've got The Price of Freedom AND the Your Own Private Idaho adventure!"

"It's pretty much Red Dawn the RPG. That game was almost mandatory growing up in Colorado." Peri pointed to a different bookshelf on the other side of the room. "You think that's impressive, you should see my Twilight 2000 collection."

"I would if I wasn't about to pass out." Cameron involuntarily punctuated his statement with a deep yawn. "I didn't take a nap this afternoon and it's finally catching up to me. Let me just take my shoes off and...Peri? Your couch doesn't have any cushions."

Peri pinched the bridge of her nose as she sighed resignedly. "I spilled paint on one of the cushions this week and figured I might as well get them all dry cleaned. I'm sorry."

Cameron waved a dismissive hand. "It's cool. Lord knows I've slept on worse. As long as you got a spare pillow and a blanket I can make do."

"I'm not making you sleep on a cushionless couch." Peri glanced towards her bedroom door before laughing quietly. "Well, I've already invited you to my apartment. Let's just sleep together." She held up her hands, cutting Cameron off before he could say anything. "I literally mean, just sleep together. I've got a queen-sized bed so there's plenty of room. I'll take the left side, you take the right, and we both conk out."

"Right now that sounds like the best idea I ever heard," Cameron agreed. "I'm off to Never Never Land the second my head hits the pillow. Which way's your bathroom?"

Peri pointed towards an open doorway. "Through there." As soon as Cameron closed the bathroom door she quickly headed for her bedroom. A sense of embarrassed dread filled her when she turned on her bedroom light. Not only had she forgone making her bed this morning, several days worth of dirty clothes were scattered across the floor on the left side of her bed. She kicked the clothes underneath the bed frame before straightening the covers and fluffing the pillows. After a moment's deliberation, Peri snagged the bottle of Febreze from her nightstand and gave a quick spray over the bed just as she heard the toilet flush.

"Alright," Cameron told Peri while he walked into the bedroom, "I'm all set." He started to say something else, only to let loose a yawn, his mouth wide like a roaring lion. "Thanks for letting me crash here. I really appreciate it."

As Cameron sat down on the other side of the bed, Peri grabbed a long nightshirt and a fresh pair of panties from her dresser. "You're probably going to be asleep by the time I'm out of the bathroom, so...good night, Cameron."

"Good night, Peri," he responded as he started taking off his shoes. "Sleep tight."

Indeed, by the time Peri finished up in the bathroom and came back to the bedroom, Cameron was sound asleep, having stripped down to his white tank top and, if the clothes on the floor were any indication, his underwear. Sprawled on his back, Cameron's soft breathing brushed against Peri's ears, filling the normally quiet bedroom with its unfamiliarity. To her surprise, his emerald pendant still hung around his neck.

As tired as she was, Peri didn't bother with moisturizing her burn knowing she'd pay for it in the morning. All she could do was stumble towards the bed after turning out the lights. Sleep descended upon her the moment she slipped under the covers. As her eyes fell shut, the last thing Peri saw was Cameron's gemstone sparkling in the spring moonlight streaming through her bedroom window, a makeshift star helping guide her to slumber.

X X X X X

The sunlight meant she should get out of bed, but Peri gripped at the covers while she fought to remain asleep. When she shifted her body, her hand brushed against bare skin and soft fabric. She instinctively reached out and wrapped her arm around them, pulling herself close to rest her head against their chest.

"Good morning, Peri."

The voice was familiar, but not THAT familiar. Peri opened one eye to see the tattoo of a platinum dragon staring back at her. Lifting her head slightly revealed a black-haired young man in a white tank top lying beside her. "Cameron?"

"That's me," he answered softly.

"Oh God," she breathed, "I'm sorry. I just..."

As she went to pull away from Cameron, she felt his arm slip around her shoulder. "It's OK," he assured her. "You're fine where you are."

Relieved, Peri's automatic response was to snuggle closer to her guest. Her foot pressed against his as she settled in the crook of his arm. "How did you sleep," she inquired with a whisper.

"Straight through. This is the first time I remember waking up. What time is it anyway?" Cameron lifted his head to look at the clock on Peri's dresser. "Whoa. It's 10:30. We slept for ten hours. What time do you go to work?"

"I have today off. Mark and I rotate alternating Sundays so he can run his game."

With that Cameron fell quiet. An unfamiliar sense of contentment filled Peri as she laid against him, along with feelings of warmth and security. It had been over three years since Peri snuggled with someone. Hell, it had been over three years since Peri had anyone in her bed period. But here she was, curled up next to a man who was a complete enigma to her - a shy, hesitant, closed-off young man. They shared an interest in movies and gaming, but beyond that, was there anything else they truly had in common?

Her fingers began drifting idly against his slender chest. "Cameron? How come you've never asked me how I got burned?"

"I figured you were sick of hearing the question. I want to know and I would have asked if it came up, but it never did." His fingers lightly scratched Peri's back over her nightshirt, causing her to hum in contentment. "I'm not one to talk. I choose 'Mysterious Past' as a background and I've been playing it to the hilt."

"You have." Peri set her chin on his chest so she could look directly at him. "I know you're looking for a fresh start, but we've known each for, what, two months? I know more about some of the characters you've played than I do about you. I don't know where in town you live, I don't know where you work...hell Cameron, I don't even know your last name, let alone how you ended up in Emerald Pines of all places." She put on what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Just promise me that someday you'll open up and let me read your book. That's all I ask."

Cameron nodded and let his head fall back onto his pillow, while Peri resumed her prime snuggling position. She found herself drifting off when she heard a question quietly asked. "What do you want to know first? My last name, or why I came here?"

"Let's start with your last name," she murmured.

"Forbeck. My name's Cameron Forbeck."

She shifted her body so she could extend her hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Forbeck. I'm Amanda Dotte." The twinge of confusion on Cameron's face elicited a laugh from Peri. "There were three other Amanda's in school," she explained, "so I ended up going by my middle name, Peri, short for Peregrine. My full name is Amanda Peregrine Dotte."

"Peri...Dotte...peridot. Like the gemstone."

"Yep." She reached up and gently ran a finger along the rough pendant hanging from Cameron's neck. "Green's always been my favorite color, so it made sense. My Dad still gets a kick out of it. He swears up and down that my middle name was a coincidence, but come on, who names their daughter Peregrine?" Peri folded both hands under her chin as she set her head on Cameron's chest. "So then, Mr. Forbeck, why did you come to Emerald Pines?"