Gaming for Love

"So, you say you met Ashley over Pokémon. Are you any good?" Sam asked.

"I beat her in our first game," Michael answered.

"Interesting. You must be a good strategist to best her."

"I have my moments, though she does frequently get the better of me."

"Then tell me this: what is the superior counter strategy to use against a Trick Room team?" Sam asked.

Michael smiled at this; Sam was testing him again, this time about Pokémon. He was familiar with the strategy Sam was describing. In Pokémon, the combatant with the highest speed rating normally got to move first in any given turn, but there was one popular strategy to change that. The move Trick Room caused the exact opposite to happen for five turns, allowing the slowest Pokémon to move first. It was a popular sort of team to use, though Michael had never been partial to it. Taking note of the wording in Sam's question, Michael began to formulate his response.

"To be honest, there is no superior or inferior strategy," he began. "All strategies are equally viable and are ultimately dependent on the person in charge of them. A team that is statistically superior to another team will still be defeated if the player is unable to predict his opponent's moves. Strategy is important, but more vital is the ability to adapt that strategy to what the other team is doing."

"Right again," Sam said. "Now, what is the most important phase of any Pokémon match?"

"The endgame," Michael replied without hesitation. "Yes, a poor start can doom you, but even the best of starts can be undone by poor decision-making at the end of a match. Never assume your opponent can't snatch victory from the jaws of defeat."

"And what is your endgame with my cousin?" Sam asked pointedly.

Smiling, Michael said, "I plan to ask her to marry me."

"That is not an endgame. That is a single action," Sam pointed out.

"Fair enough. My endgame is to marry her and spend the rest of my life with her, if she'll have me. A home, kids, being together for six or seven decades... that's the endgame."

After a moment's pause, Sam replied, "I believe that would make Ashley very happy."

"I think so, too. I know she makes me happy, happier than I've ever been in my life," Michael admitted. "I'm in love with her."

"That is nice to hear. Still, in the interest of full disclosure, you should be aware that if you ever hurt her, physically or emotionally, you will have made a mortal enemy in me."

"I have no doubt of that," Michael grinned. "But if I were to propose to Ashley... you would be ok with that?"

Before Sam could answer, Ashley walked in the front door. "I'm back, and I've got pizza!" she called.

Without a word, Sam stood and took the pizzas from her hands. Moving into the kitchen, he said over his shoulder, "Spoiler alert: he wants to marry you. And if he makes you half as happy as you seem, you would be an imbecile to decline."

Michael buried his face in his hands at Sam telling her this upfront, but Ashley just smiled and winked at him. "Thanks, Sam. I'll keep that in mind."

As soon as Sam was out of earshot, Michael moaned, "All my elaborate plans..."

Sitting next to him on the couch, Ashley kissed Michael on the cheek and said, "Don't worry about it; I'm actually kind of glad he said that."

"You are?"

"Michael, you don't need any elaborate plans to get me to marry you!" Ashley laughed. "If you want to marry me, all you have to do is ask."

"Come on, I can do better than that!"

"I'm a practical girl, Michael. I always have been. One of the things I love most about you is that you're a straight shooter. So, is there something you want to ask me?"

"Dammit, you're really gonna make me do this now, aren't ya?" Michael sighed.

"Yep," Ashley replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

Michael reached into his pocket, pulling out a diamond ring he had saved for three months to buy. "Ashley Henderson... will you marry me?"

Flashing a huge smile, Ashley leaned forward and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. "You bet your sweet ass I will."

*****

Five years later

"Almost there," Ashley whispered.

"Come on, come on... just a bit more," Michael growled, feeling the tension build.

"Yes... yes, you've got it!"

"Score! Flag captured!"

While most married couples would spend Valentine's Day out on a romantic date, Michael and Ashley Goldman preferred an intimate evening of video games, even after nearly five years of marriage. Their six-month-old son, Sam, was spending the night with his namesake uncle. In spite of the elder Sam's mild Asperger's, he found that he had a natural affinity for children. His great willingness to babysit for his nephew allowed Michael and Ashley to continue their intimate evenings gaming together, with that night's selection being Call of Duty: WWII.

"Seems like that longstanding love affair with this game is paying off," Ashley teased her husband. "You might actually be improving!"

"Oh, that's how you're gonna play it, eh? All right, we're on different teams next round! I'll show you improvement..."

"Ooh, sounds like hot air to me. How 'bout we make it more interesting?"

"What did you have in mind?" Michael asked, remembering losing his first gamble with her six years ago.

Eying him mischievously, Ashley said, "Winner of the next round gets oral."

"Deal," Michael replied. "It's a win-win for me."

"How do you figure that?"

"Because we both know that once I start going down on you, you can't possibly resist doing the same to me," Michael said with a smartass grin.

Grabbing her controller, Ashley huffed, "Just shut up and play."

"Game on, pretty lady."