Saturday, 08:10 AM.
After the agonizing days of sitting through classes with a pounding head, the weekend pranced into the spotlight, blessing the ever-grateful Abel with freedom.
Unfortunately, these moments were always gone at the speed of light, so he definitely should take advantage of them as much as he could, especially when the long-awaited convention was now within his grasp.
I can't stop smiling right now...
Abel usually embraced the routine of sleeping in, but when it came to cosplay events, all of his fatigue abruptly vanished into nothingness, perhaps reduced to atoms - something Thanos would say. He precipitously sprang in and out of the shower, and not even minutes later, he was already preparing his costume.
Yesterday, the beauty salon had flawlessly transformed Abel's black hair into shades of the vibrant skies, bearing resemblance to that hot detective. He then had his short bangs pulled to the back, although a few strands rebelled and fell into his forehead. Regardless, he batted his brows and impishly grinned in the mirror.
There's no doubt I perfectly impersonate him. He's like my long lost twin, after all.
Buttoning his gray blazer, he tightened up his tie. Now, he simply needed to brush his clothes off any visible wrinkles and buckled his belt, and voila, Abel Eastwood was ready to hypnotize his fans and other cosplayers in the entire convention.
Before leaving his room, he made sure to strike one last pose. Seeing his reflection flooded his veins with a large volume of dopamine. Remember Abel, it's all about showing off and confidence.
The moment he touched down the stairs, Abel quickly garnered attention... but it apparently wasn't the kind he sought for. He gripped his jaw as soon as he was met with a punchable look of Jethro and that stupid condemning glare from his father.
Wait, Dad? He blinked.
How shocking. His parents were actually - not that Abel gave a fuck anyway - right there, chilling on the sofa as if they were holding some sort of a reunion. Well, these two were hardly seen throughout the entire week, bustling their asses like they often claimed. For them to make a cameo... perhaps Abel was residing in a parallel universe or something.
"The next time I see you, you'll change your hair back, yeah?" Dad warned, lowering his gruff voice to try to sound intimidating, but it was not even close. "You look like some uneducated delinquent."
Welp, never mind that theory then. Abel was still living in the same dimension like everyone else. His supportive father spurted out crap as usual, never bothering about anything else but commenting on every decision and action his youngest son had made. They never care about what I said, so why the hell should I care about their words?
"Okay, I guess I'll see you in a million years, Dad." Abel never knew he could snort so loudly; yet another ability he wasn't aware of. Meanwhile, his gaze hovered over the family picture on the beach once more.
"That's not how you talk to your father, young man," Dad immediately lashed out, showing no signs of backing down. "Don't ever give me that kind of attitude."
"Sure thing, father," Abel retorted. "I have other attitudes in store. Please feel free to choose which one you like the most."
"You little-" Before Dad could storm towards Abel, Mom swiftly snatched his arm and pulled him back, cutting off his vitriol. Even from afar, Abel could see the veins popping out of Dad's neck as his knuckles grew white. So much for demanding respect.
With a heavy sigh, Dad slumped down on the couch and zipped his lips, as if cat got his tongue. He crossed his arms and scowled, sulking like a child who never got what he wanted. On the other hand, Mom sighed exasperatedly and shook her head, but she stayed mostly quiet throughout the scene.
What a pair of oddballs.
"Goddamn, your hair looks like someone spilled blue paint all over you, but at least it's much better than you wearing wigs." Of all things, Jethro decided it was a great time to chime in and giggle like an intoxicated monkey. This dude really never knew when to shut the hell up. "Also, I have to give credit though, they really did a great job at it."
"And who asked for your damn opinion? That's right. No one," Abel barked at him, but that was when the prickly sensation between his legs promptly stopped him. Glancing down, he noticed how Rocky had been rubbing its furs against him. It then wagged its tail at its owner, blissfully unaware of the building tensions between him and his human family.
"Oh Rocky, you poor baby... I'm so sorry you have to hear all of that," Abel muttered under his breath as he fondled the blameless animal, whose moist kisses were the only things he would certainly be missing while he was out of this godforsaken house. Caressing its fur, he whispered, "How do I look like, hmm? I look awesome right?"
"Woof!" Rocky sounded, its mouth slightly dangled open as it breathlessly huffed and puffed despite its lack of movements. For those who stupidly thought animals do not have complex emotions, they would be completely stumped on how to explain its glittering beady eyes, which gave him a stamp of approval.
"Of course you'll like it. Whatever I do, you know he's always awesome at it." He faintly beamed, further tousling the dog's furs and subconsciously squeezing the canine. "After all, you're the only genuine brother I have. You're always there to calm me down, so thank you."
Rocky tilted its head at its owner's ramblings of how he was eternally thankful of its existence. While the dog gingerly rested its chin on Abel's shoulder, his body somehow trembled in spite of the balmy atmosphere.
***
After the rare but memorable encounter with his family, Abel tried his damn hardest to throw off those fresh memories engraved in his head. There was no way he would want to contaminate his mind with the trash Dad and Jethro had given him, and so all he focused on right now was the convention and solely the convention. Hell no, I don't wanna get emotional over these people.
Screw them.
Abel ultimately stepped foot into the convention, and the vicinity was entirely in full swing. Animated hairs and vivid costumes filled up most of his vision, while the incorrigible rumbles of the crowd kept company. Children scrambled all over the area, screaming on top of their lungs as they swung their floppy swords.
Lotte and Adrian didn't seem to be here yet. Abel decided to venture around the place, observing the vibrant apparels of the other cosplayers and their overall styles. Some assembled into groups, while a few preferred being alone. However, they all posed smoothly, lifting up their weapons as people pointed their cameras and phones at them.
Let's test my knowledge, shall we? Titles of some TV shows started popping up in his mind while he observed cosplayers ambling past him or standing near his line of sight. A couple of Harleys, some fantasy characters I don't know of, My Hero Academia, Re:Zero, and my God, there are countless Demon Slayer cosplayers...
Was that show really worth the hype?
"Oh my God, it's Kaito!" Without warning, a girl yelled out. "Let me have your photos!"
"Wait, someone cosplayed Kaito?!"
"Ahh, please let me take your pics next!!"
And barely a few minutes in, Abel's confidence skyrocketed high into the heavens as more people flocked into him... as they always should. At their requests, the young cosplayer struck poses - as he had practiced in the mirror - iconic to Kaito, and some of them squealed. Not forgetting to smirk, he wrapped his arm around his fans as they snapped some photos. Lotte should have been here early so she can see how popular Kaito is and not that dude.
"You're so passionate about that cocky detective, huh?"
Speak of the devil. Charlotte and Adrian, at long last, were here, but she had her hands on her hips as they approached him. Her orange hair blazed like a dancing fire underneath the sun, probably since she dyed it to further intensify the hues. Dressed in a lime green yukata with red stripes, she had a yellow hira obi tied around her hips. A drawstring bag dangled from her arm, mimicking the character she had been extremely fond of.
Wow, her cosplay's flawless too. Abel mentally whistled. Well, this girl's basically Midori in a nutshell. Pretty badass in her arc.
"Heh, you should have been here earlier. I've been getting lots of photos." He simpered. "See, I told you Kaito's more popular."
"Oh my God, please... do something with your ego. I'm literally cringing," Charlotte huffed, but that didn't stop her from flashing her friend a mischievous grin. "But just so you know, my cosplay can be much more popular."
"Let's prove it then," said Abel between his chuckles, before he averted his gaze towards his other friend. He was... well, wearing a graphic T-shirt and jeans as if it was another typical day. This time, a mini green cape was his sole prop. I guess he tried, but...
"What the hell is that, Adrian?" Abel protested. "That's not even cosplaying, that's just... you."
"Exactly," Adrian concurred, as this man didn't even put much effort in smiling. "I'm simply cosplaying as Adrian Gardner."
"Just admit you're lazy, dude..." Charlotte dismissed, bumping into him as Abel continued gawking at him. "And here I thought you're willing to at least dress up when you said you're cosplaying."
"There ain't rules forbidding us from cosplaying as ourselves, right?" Adrian asked, and when no one bothered confirming his statement, he shrugged and curled his lips. "That's what I thought."
At this point, I don't really expect anything from Adrian... Abel groaned silently and placed his hand on his face. "But you've been cosplaying as yourself all the time, man. You had time to find a decent costume, but I guess you're more committed to being in bed and binge-watching Netflix."
"Whoa, whoa, please don't expose me like that," Adrian guffawed, forcefully slapping Abel's back, recoiling him off his spot. "Sometimes I can't help but to-"
"WHOA!!!"
The sudden uproar of the crowd caused the trio to simultaneously whirl on their heels. They pointed their fingers to something above them while they shielded their eyes from the sun's penetrating rays. With a raised brow, Abel craned his neck up, tracing after the gazes of the crowd.
A young woman zoomed past the horizon, drifting through the air. Many heads turned, pursuing after the woman as she landed on the roof of the convention centre. Raising her arms, she waved at them before leaping off to the distance. For some people, witnessing a human gliding in the skies might sound so outlandish, but for Abel, it wasn't much of a remarkable news.
Gosh, it's just the Leaper.
"Oh, it's Rhea Crawford payin' us a little visit,'' Adrian initiated. "Never knew she would be interested in conventions."
"Man, I wish I could be like her." Charlotte clapped her hands together. "She's so cool, and she rocks with her superpowers! She's the embodiment of girl power."
"Oh yeah. Don't wanna mess with her. She could practically swoop in and kick your sorry ass to space," Adrian shivered.
While his friends rhapsodized about the superhero, Abel wordlessly beckoned them to the entrance of the centre. The sun wasn't fooling around today, acting like a gargantuan oven baking the entire town. Moreover, his suit and pants had begun sticking to his muggy skin. Yeah, I'm definitely not ruining my costume and hair.
However, before he could experience the cool breeze inside the building, he suddenly halted on his path. Consequently, Charlotte and Adrian nearly bumped their noses against his back.
"Dammit Abs. What's with you?" Adrian interrogated, but Abel muttered no words. He was too busy ogling at a familiar person who manifested from the swarm of cosplayers. With silky black hair hanging loose until her hips, taupe complexion and dull violet eyes... those were the unmistakable traits of his sworn contender.
Mairi.
Despite her fans bombarding her, she preserved her deadpan look as she promenaded through them. As one might expect, she kept her iconic crossdressing style. Fully clothed in a white royal uniform and a mantle ornamented with golden lacings and embroidery, she had a belt fastened around her hips, equipped with a sheath containing her sword.
She's cosplaying as a prince huh... but what prince is her cosplay from?
Drawing closer, Mairi's gaze instantly wandered towards him, because why the heck not. And like always, Abel felt something clenching against his ribs as his fingers grew cold. He neither could move nor budge his muscles, so his legs were totally glued on the spot. He gulped, pulling himself together he leered at the woman he had been taciturnly interacting with for endless months.
Seriously, what the hell's going on with me? She's your rival, for heaven's sake!
At this point, Mairi would have left him all tensed up as he struggled recuperating from her stupid spell. However, the expressionless crossdresser did the unthinkable: she headed straight towards Abel with no questions and stopped right in front of him.
What the...
What's this?!
Why is she approaching me?!
As the couple soundlessly gazed and examined each other's outfits, cosplayers started turning their heads to each other, exchanging inaudible whispers, but their hushed voices briskly saturated Abel's ears. And as for Abel himself... a tumultuous battle between his thoughts had just started.
***
A/N: Thank you for reading, and please do let me know your thoughts of this chapter!
Rhea Crawford (know as the Leaper) is the main character from Leap of Faith, a book I put on-hold, which also took place in the same city as Cosplay Shenanigans.
Here is a term you might be unfamiliar with.
*Hira obi: The ribbon/tie that is used to tie around a yukata, a Japanese traditional clothing.