Page 41 of Stalked By Shadows
Micah studied me. “You really don’t think I’m nuts?”
“No more nuts than I am,” I said. “Take that for the good or bad it may be. However, I think you’re amazing, for your talent, your persistence, and your strength. Those are all good things, yeah?”
“I guess,” he agreed.
“Is your lack of confidence why you don’t do the cosplay pictures anymore?”
Micah shrugged, though I could tell from his posture that I’d hit the nail on the head.
“Lukas said you used to do sexy pictures before you started working with Tim.”
“Tim convinced me there was better money in porn,” Micah said.
“Was there?”
He seemed to think about it for a minute. “A little.”
“But you enjoyed the cosplay thing more?”
“I’ve always liked dressing up and pretending to be someone else for a few hours.” He pointed to me in the coat. “Feeling like a superhero, if you want to think of it that way.”
“So why stop? You have all these costumes. How many are in your size?”
“Not many anymore. A few maybe, but I had my final growth spurt a year or so ago, which means a lot of the stuff is too small.”
“But you obviously have the skill to make something that fits.” There was even one of those dress dummies shoved into the corner, which I thought would probably scare the bejesus out of me if I walked into the closet in the middle of the night.
“Sure.”
“You don’t make stuff for yourself anymore?”
“Not really.”
I realized that it was a lack of confidence. How a man as beautiful as Micah could lose that confidence baffled me. He’d been a porn star, loved for the body that so few men had, being delicate and feminine, while just masculine enough to turn on most gay men. Had the disappearance stripped that confidence away, or something else? Perhaps the loss of his relationship with Tim or the constant noises in the darkness? I wasn’t sure he had an answer.
“That’s something to focus on then. I’m certainly no model, but maybe we can make a cool duo of something for some pictures. Is there an anime con soon? Even if it’s only for walking around and feeling like I’m a badass, I think it’s worth it.” I thought about it for a few minutes. “I’m a little out of touch with what’s popular, but I remember Devil May Cry, and I played Witcher for a while. I could totally do one of them. But I’ll even wear a dress if you want me to.”
“Okay,” Micah agreed, though I think he wasn’t really ready to talk about his designing yet. I wasn’t going to push. Not yet. “And I don’t know about any upcoming conventions. But I can make something.”
“And can we give this to Sky? I can’t wait to see that girl’s face. Every girl wants to be a princess, right? Hell, I’d love to be a princess and have some hot prince rescue me from all the world’s troubles.”
Micah stuttered out a rough laugh. “Okay. I can make you a princess dress. I think Sky would rather be a queen.”
“Honey, I’m already a queen, but I’d still be your princess,” I said pointing at him.
This time I got a real smile. “Guys usually expect me to be the damsel.”
I snorted. “Rescue me any time, babe. I’ve already done my service for the macho man brigade.” I did a little YMCA dance.
He laughed again. “Wow…”
“Nerdiness a turn off?” I asked him. “Come on, there’s a whole nerd-guy-glasses kink in romance novels. I could fit that. With some glasses and a better haircut. Ignore the exterior and focus on the dork underneath.”
“Nerdiness is okay.”
“Especially cosplay nerdiness,” I clarified because that had been Micah’s original passion and heck, I could be on board with that. His talent gave me all sorts of ideas.
“Yes,” he agreed.