Convention Story 01

You're not entirely sure how you've been talked into this, you've decried this juvenile show to your boyfriend over a dozen times, and still he insists.

Maybe it's fine in the long run, you muse while shoving a dark blue turtleneck sweater into your bag. It's hard finding boyfriend's who are as comfortable with themselves as Alex, and if watching a show for little girls is what it takes to keep from sitting on the couch getting drunk and fat, then so be it.

Speak of the devil, there he is now, grinning foolishly as a bit of sauce from his burrito drips onto his shirt, he doesn't bother cleaning it up.

You bet he isn't even packing a bag, which is typical, he's the kinda guy you'd have to remind to turn the safety off on a gun.

"You know we're just staying for a few days, right? You don't need to pack your whole wardrobe Cherry,"

Alex's use of that stupid nickname grates, it always does. you're a human fucking being, not a fruit... And your name is Cherise, not Cherry...

"I brought two changes of clothes and a sweater in case it gets cold, that is not even close to my wardrobe..."

"Mhm..." He mumbles, licking his fingers. "The car is parked out front, so whenever you're ready princess,"

You finish packing your bag and take a quick glance around your room, it's austere, but in a modern kind of way, lots of white and black with as little clutter as possible. You [i]hate[/i] hoarders, and have since you were a kid. Your father would bring random things home he found in a dumpster, and you shudder when you think of all those years spent with a bed comforter purchased at a yard sale.

Taking your wallet off an otherwise barren dresser top, you slip it into the back pocket of your jeans and inspect yourself one last time, checking your perfectly fitted white t-shirt for any wrinkles, which would be absolutely ridiculous.

You experience one moment of hesitation as you consider, and grab your e-reader before heading out the door. You have a feeling it's going to be a long weekend at this Brony convention.

You drive, Alex is far too easily distracted to be trusted at the wheel. It's simple logic; he has been in two accidents, you have been in none.

Clearly you are the superior driver.

The trip to the hotel is long and uneventful, three hours is more time than anyone should spend cooped up in a vehicle, at least as far as you're concerned. For a moment you absolutely 'need' to have the wind blowing through your hair, to go just a little bit faster on the long and vacant highway. You roll down the window, but stop when your boyfriend starts to complain.

"What's the point of even having the air conditioner on if you're just going to open the window?"

With a sigh, you press the button down, cutting off all ties to fresh air and make believe freedom. He could be so controlling sometimes. Since you're stuck in this monotonous hell, you may as well drag him into conversation.

"You make this sound like it's some huge thing,"

Alex pats his knee to some invisible beat, head bopping up and down in a childish manner that somehow makes you grin.

"Yup, that's right. One of the bigger ones from what I am hearing. This is the con's maiden voyage! It's gonna be a blast! I've never been to a con, you know,"

"Uh huh..." You grumble quietly. "But... in Ohio? Really?"

With one of those winning smiles you keep him around for, he responds. "Sure, why the fuck not?"

Deciding that the conversation had become more dull than the car ride, you answer his question with silence. It was sprinkling a bit and a couple of rainbows were visible here and there. Alex was always attentive, always inquisitive. Suffering from intense boredom you reflect on how annoying that can be. It doesn't bother you so much when he goes through your things just to experience them, it's the way he sorts things based on some hidden imperative that he's not even aware of, and he always insists that he put them back exactly where he found them. It was moments like these, watching his eyes dart around like some kind of computer where the tendency became endearing.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, you grabbed a bite to eat once you arrived in Cleveland, you didn't want to deal with the hassle of working around the hotel.

The hotel was pretty well packed, and unsurprisingly, most of the guests were socially awkward teenagers and young adult. Mostly guys too, you absently pondered the duration you could handle being stared at before returning to your room, but oh god...

The room was amazing, the bathroom has one of those bathtubs deep enough to qualify as a hottub for one. The walls were faux marble, but very well done. You were beginning to wonder how Alex could afford to splurge on something like this. Before you can say anything, he collapses onto the bed and sensing the confusing before it can cross your face, answers.

"The travel company I work for gets a lot of discounts from merchants trying to buy our approval, it's nice being able to actually take advantage of them for once,"

Nodding your head in understanding, you look out the window. "I mean, it looks busy, but not THAT busy..."

"What? No, this isn't where the convention being held, it's going to be at the convention center. Everyone just tends to gravitate to the same hotels for the sake of hanging out after the fact, and I guess wild sex, if you're into that sort of thing," He raised an eyebrow and grinned.

"... I think I'll just sleep in the tub to be honest,"

Alex feigned a hurt expression as you sternly closed the bathroom door behind you. You fill the tub with hot water, you like it when it actually requires effort to not jump back out, the way numbness just spreads through your body in response. Against the better judgement of just about everyone aware of this habit, you begin browsing your e-reader, it's loaded with fanfiction, choose your own adventures, independent stories from all over the internet are loaded on this thing, Alex never ceased teasing you when he discovered a couple actually involved ponies, but it's not like you ever actually 'read' them, you were just a connoisseur. Letting your head slip below the water until only your eyes peeked out, you allowed yourself to think for just a moment that this might actually be an awesome weekend.

But you still couldn't shake a vague feeling of dread that ran up and down your spine whenever you let your mind wander too far from the confines of your story. You were not what you'd call blessed with the most keen of intuitions, but sometimes you did have gut feelings like this, it was pretty easy to just dismiss them as nerves. After all, tomorrow morning you were going to have to experience some of the most awkward behavior you could possibly imagine.