"Are we still on for Friday night, guys?" I'd sent a message to the group chat on Monday evening, confirming our standard RPG night. We played every other week, but for whatever reason, the planning demon had got a hold of our sessions, and for the last few times, at least one of my players had to cancel. Which wasn't that big of a problem. Since we were with five players and a game master, we had decided to keep playing if one player couldn't make it. If more of them couldn't, we'd cancel that week's session and tried to plan a new date. Or in this case, tried again in two weeks.
"Friday? Sorry mate, I have to cancel. Melissa and I made plans." Rob replied after a few minutes. Well, that was one less. Rob normally was one of the more punctual players. Still, the rest didn't cancel, so we could keep playing.
Until Thursday afternoon. First Cyn cancelled, citing planning problems. A few hours after that, a message from Kevin. He couldn't make it either. Leaving just two players and me.
"So, looks like we're gonna cancel, guys." I sent in the group app. A bit disappointed. I had been preparing this leg of the adventure for quite some time, and because of all the cancellations, we weren't making any meaningful progress.
"I'm still up for a game," Alice sent.
"Me too!" Layla added a few seconds later.
"Sorry girls, but with three of you not here, we're not going to make any progress."
A private message from Alice. "Awww, I was really looking forward to playing. Can we maybe do a one-shot with just the three of us? You know, outside the normal continuity."
That actually sounded like an idea, out of all my players, Alice might be my favourite. She was a great role-player, had a firm grasp of the rules, and wasn't too scared to pounce on any of the plot hooks I dangled in front of the party. It also helped that she was quite beautiful. Big green eyes, long brown hair, lips made up with red lipstick. She was about a head smaller than me, and tended to wear dresses. I'd never tried anything with her. No faster way to destroy a gaming group than to start dating a player. Still I considered her a good friend, and hanging out with her sounded appealing.
"Let me think on it. I don't have much time to prepare for tomorrow."
"Whatever you come up with, it's always fun."
Well, that was good to hear. I knew my players were having fun, but having at least one of them confirm it was good for my ego.
"Can the promise of some good cocktails maybe sway you?"
"It could. But I have to drive. And I don't feel like taking a cab."
"You could always stay over. I have a very comfortable couch. And also a guest room. But I would recommend the couch. I'll even throw in a breakfast."
"The couch sounds tempting, but I want the guest room."
"Deal!" She messaged back almost instantaneously.
Well, so far for my free Friday evening. Still, spending it at Alice's and getting free drinks and breakfast sounded like a good trade.
"Soooo, Alice told me we're going on an RPG and cocktails date..." A message from Layla.
"Huh?"
"Tomorrow, just the three of us."
"Still not getting where you're getting the date part."
"Check your calendar ;)"
I opened my phone. Tomorrow. Friday February fourteenth. It took a few moments to click. Valentine's Day.
"A Valentine's date, huh?"
"Yup, just you and two women."
When we first started playing Layla had been timid. She'd been waiting for other people to talk. Which was a bit of a problem, since her character was supposed to be the face of the party. But after a while she started to feel comfortable and started loosening up. Her character took more of a leader role, and Layla herself started coming out of her shell. And for some reason, that meant that whenever she could, she'd make flirty remarks. I didn't think she ever meant anything by them. She made them to all the players in our group with no distinction for men or women. Still, I was intrigued by Layla. Where Alice was a petite brown haired girl, Layla was longer, I wasn't sure, but she might even be a little bit taller than me. Long blonde hair, blue eyes and striking eyelashes. She normally wore quite baggy clothes. Warm jumpers, sweatpants in winter. Baggy shirts and cargo jeans in summer. Even though we had been playing for quite a while, I still had no good idea about her figure beneath those clothes. Not that it mattered, she was a great player. Whenever you put Alice and Layla together, or more accurately, put their characters together, it was a recipe for chaos.
"Me and two women? Should I be scared?"
"Always, especially around alcohol."
"I'll just hide behind my screen."
A few moments later a new chat popped up on my phone. D8 Night. Members: Alice, Layla and me.
"Shouldn't that be D20 night?" Alice asked.
"Doesn't fit with the theme." Layla answered.
"What theme?"
"What theme?"
"Jinx! You owe me a cocktail." Alice and I had sent the same message, almost at the same time. But I had been faster in calling the jinx.
"Not that much of an obligation, as I was making them anyway. What do you want?"
"Gin Tonic?"
"Sure. Now, Layla, what do you mean? What theme?"
"You know, it's Valentine's Day, we're drinking cocktails, Rick is alone with two girls. That theme."
"So you want a Valentine's one-shot?" I asked.
"Sounds good." Alice replied.
Well, that was the theme sorted. The group chat continued. More about at what time we should be at Alice's (half past seven), if we were having any non-alcoholic cocktails (no), if we should dress up (yes, because this was a date). I kept half an eye on the chat as the girls kept coming up with more and more elaborate schemes while I was busy preparing the one-shot. I found some cool ideas that I subsequently stole, and even found an enemy fitting for a Valentine's Day adventure.