[ With the aid of the text, he knows that she's turning to tell him she's ready. The bass of techno music pulses like a heartbeat through his earbuds and cuts off abruptly as he removes them, carefully setting them on the night stand. Her enthusiasm brings a smile to his face. ]
Yeah, yeah. We're good. Just needed to decide the perfect angle for your rainy day view, but I think I got it.
[ Both of his phones go onto the stand with the earbuds (one from home for music and the other for communicating). He doesn't want any interruptions on the off chance someone decides to text him. ]
Bring it in...
[ His arms open for her to scoot into them. She knows the drill. They gotta be extra close and snuggly to make this connection. ]
[ Cheerfully, she practically dives into his arms. It's immediately stifling, but for this? She can tolerate it. ]
If you're all sweaty after we're done with all this...I'm sorry.
[ With a soft smile, one of her hands comes up to touch his cheek. The heat her fingers leave behind as they stroke it are more than just her body's new normal--it's her love. Her appreciation. Who else could give her so much? ]
Worth it, though. Right?
[ And before he has to worry about getting them physically linked, she goes in for the kiss. She's learning! ]
[ His head tilts into her touch, the heated warmth that he's still not used to -- even after spending days beside her, cuddling when she could tolerate it. They would adjust. They would regulate to one another again in time. And that begins with contact. ]
Worth it.
[ He mumbles against her lips. Full agreement. He'll deal if he's left a sweaty mess -- wouldn't be the first time Monika's left him that way after all. For now, he opens the channels and invites her within -- away from the outside world and into his own digital expanse of one. They find themselves in Silicon Valley, in the middle of an empty high rise, penthouse apartment -- windows spanning around the entire living room area, giving a 180 degree view of the distant waters, bridge and buildings -- all coated in the dreary mist of steady rainfall.
The apartment begins to fill with furniture, both at the whims of Monika and Tech Boy. A book case spans the entire back wall from floor to ceiling, requiring a ladder to get to the top with a cozy reading nook beside it. The open kitchen fills itself in sleek and modern, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
As promised, the air conditioning is cranking at max. And from the back bedroom, an Italian Greyhound comes trotting up to greet Monika -- the color markings of her choosing. Tech Boy figures it's small enough to be manageable but big enough to not be yappy. ]
Welcome to one of my favorite areas. Figured I'd put us closer to the San Francisco end of things to give you a view of that bridge.
[ There's the familiar burst of fear, then she's sinking away, falling into his code and his world. Once her feet hit solid ground, she breathes out in relief, mostly because she's comfortably cool for the first time in what feels like ages, her white silk chemise hanging freely instead of sticking to her. And thankfully, she wasn't thrown into a moving car again.
It's still just as jarring, though, watching the apartment forming around them. She spins and spins, her lips slightly parted in awe as everything fills in. What a weirdly familiar feeling. There's a temptation to ask if they should put up a loading screen, but she refrains. As the time passes, dream is becoming reality.
Eventually, her eyes settle on the view--perfectly rainy, perfectly dreary--and she has to swallow down some tears. Sure, it's not real, so to speak, but to see it, to feel like she was in it... ]
California?
[ She steps up to the window, hugging herself with a distant smile. Hell was real, yes. That'd become her new reality. But this had been what she truly wanted, to be like any other human on Earth. This is the closest she'd ever come to it. How could she ever leave?
It's only then that she realizes there's been an insistent scamp pleading for attention at her legs and she giggles, crouching down to finally give Hermes--of course!--some much-deserved scritches behind the ears. Once he's satisfied, she straightens up, turning to grant someone else some appreciative attention.
She takes TB's hands, giving them a soft squeeze. ]
[ He nods to the mantle place where some 'photographs' of their engagement surface -- the garden is greener, more vibrant than it had been in person and it's more of an idealized version of the day, eradicating all traces of hell and placing it somewhere on Earth. The glorious apple tree, however, still remains. And they are still in the same clothing they wore, and the ring is exactly as it is on her finger. The important details remain exactly as they had been. ]
Can't wait to replace those with actual wedding pictures, though.
[ He leans in to give her a soft kiss, lingering there for a few seconds before inching back. ]
Which we really should start planning soon. A ton of people are fucking stoked for it.
[ Her eyes travel over to the mantle and she gasps quietly. It's a perfect moment perfected. Their engagement and all that followed had been the focus of her dreams since it'd happened. He'd given her more than just a ring that day. Even through their rough patches, that bliss was eternal.
As she looks back at him, he mentions the wedding. Something in her stomach drops. For a few fleeting seconds, she feels something like guilt for all that he doesn't know, but she pushes it away. Now's not the time.
Now's the time to enjoy the kiss and his affection. Her eyes stay closed for a little while, the bad feelings drifting away.
...Or not.
She blinks her eyes open, immediately gluing a smile in place. No suspicion! No fear! ]
Ahaha, yeah! I saw you talking to someone on the network about it. [ Confirmation that, yes, she's always watching him from afar. ] Anyone else I should know about?
[ Thankfully, it seemed like no one she, ahem, knew was privy to the news, minus Henry. And that was one unwieldy can of worms she still hardly knew how to deal with after opening it. Oof. ]
And where do we even start?
[ She's beginning to realize that dreaming about a wedding is a lot easier than actually, you know, making it happen. How vaguely terrifying. ]
[ He grins at her admission. Although it had gotten him into trouble on the Hazel front, it was nice to have it confirmed that she was watching him. It was nice to know that she cared enough about what he got up to in the time they were apart. Hazel might have called that crazy, but to him it's a sign she cares. And one he shares, watching over her network interactions as well -- though hers are far fewer than his more recently. ]
My buddy Harlan's obviously gonna come. You should meet him sometime. He's cool. I might actually ask him to be one of my groomsmen. There's this other guy Daryl who may or may not come. He's kind of a bum, but I got high with him once and he gave me some relationship advice, so I'd at least send him an invite.
[ There's an awkward pause. Hopefully she wouldn't get upset by this next set of guests. ]
Belladonna and her boyfriend, maybe? If you'd be cool with them there? I didn't officially invite them or anything, but she would probably love to come and tell you how beautiful you are, which everyone should rightly fucking do.
[ He smiles, taking her hand and guiding them toward one of the couches so they could lounge and look out at the dreary landscape before them -- still alive and thriving with passing cars and boats. As close to reality as Tech Boy could make it. ]
In terms of planning, though, I think we probably start with our wedding party, right? Decide how many people we want in it and start asking from there. It doesn't have to be big. It's however big you want it to be. So if we cap it at two wedding party members each, I don't think anyone's gonna complain. Wuxian and Harlan for me, and whoever you choose on your side? That random dude I was chatting with on the network has some girls he said he could ask for you...
[ Just in case Monika needed some girls on her side! He's being helpful! ]
[ Oh, good! He doesn't seem too bothered with her light stalkin--observing. She'd probably be doing it in person too, if not for how much her free time was taken up with other people. Well, back when she did have free time...
Also, is he going to get weird about what she's going to say? Please don't get weird with what she's about to say. ]
I've met Harlan, actually, when I went out one night. He's nice!
[ Aaand she's just gonna leave it at that. Safer that way. No comment about Daryl, though, because...seriously, what the hell, Zeus.
Her eyebrow does twitch upward at the next suggestion, however. She somehow manages to limit her reaction to that.
...And a slight pursing of her lips. Look, she's trying, okay! ]
I...guess I could be okay with them, too.
[ Again, leaving it at that. After he leads her over to the couch, she pulls her feet up and settles in next to him, grabbing a pillow to cling to in case she needed it to divert any potential rage.
Hmm. She doesn't like the color, though, and she wonders if she can fix it, considering he'd given her some control. After some thought, it fizzles with static and turns emerald green in her arms, as do the other throw pillows. Better! ]
Well...I definitely think it's going to be better for it to be small. I'm realizing I don't really know a lot of girls.
[ Such a shame. She attracted a lot of guys for some reason. ]
Oh, but! I know an Amazon! She'd probably look amazing in a green dress! And she's been really nice to me!
[ Should she give a name? It'd probably be best to give a name so she's doing better at the whole "sharing" thing. And bonus--she's not a lover! Yay? ]
Her name's Diana. Maybe I could make her maid of honor?
[ He doesn't seem bothered by her meeting Harlan. In fact, he seems pretty pleased. Because Harlan's a bro and like too old for Monika anyway, so nothing to worry about! Nothing to be jealous over. And he gives a nod to the remark about Belladonna -- even as Monika fights a reaction. She's trying and that's what matters. They could be friends, he's sure of it. And Belladonna's nothing to worry about if she has a boyfriend, right? That's why he made sure to include that part. The real culprit that should be of concern will not even be invited. No jealousy allowed on their special day!
All is well.
He watches her change the pillow to an emerald green and wrinkles his nose slightly. It's quite stark against the modern aesthetic, the various shades of black, grey and white with a few stand out colors to draw focus. But this is her home, too. She can make the choice -- even if a more pastel green would have been better, just saying. ]
Oh, that's cool.
[ Sounds like she probably doesn't know much about technology, but if she's been nice to Monika, that's what matters. ]
Yeah, I'd say definitely ask her next time you talk. Maybe we can all go out to dinner sometime. I'll even eat so you don't have to answer any weird questions.
[ Amusement crosses his lips and he kicks his legs up onto the coffee table. ]
[ Huh! She was waiting for an unfavorable reaction, but nothing comes. How nice! This whole reacting to stuff in a healthy way thing was doing wonders!
Not that she isn't secretly plotting how to find some way to embarrass Belladonna on the big day or anything... ]
She's really cool! She's helped me through some bad times here. And hey! [ With a giggle, she nudges him. ] She's associated with the real Zeus! Or a Zeus. I mean, it all gets confusing. She fought in the First World War and Ares was involved somehow? Eh...
[ The whole multiverse thing was impossible to wrap her head around, so like most uncomfortable things, she just won't think about it. ]
But yeah! That sounds good! And there's...oh! [ Another safe choice! Mostly! ] There's Josie! She's close to my age! It'll create some balance!
[ Unlike how his feet on the nice coffee table are throwing things off now. She does her best not to pointedly stare at them. ]
So, a... [ Dammit, those feet... ] A dinner with all of them. Maybe some games too? It'd be good to have some sort of ice breaker thing, right?
Huh. A Diana who knows Zeus and Ares. And you say she's an Amazon? Is she maybe also a goddess? I mean, isn't there a Diana that's a goddess of the hunt and wild animals or something? That's only a quick, superficial search, though.
[ He taps his forehead -- because he's always got that google going. ]
I don't fucking pay too much attention to the old gods. But! Look at you making friends with all these deities.
[ He grins over at her, bringing his index finger up and in to boop her on the nose. It's meant to be cute. It might come off a little bit patronizing, though, but he means well! The easy smile on his face brightens a little as Monika brings up Josie. ]
Ah. Josie? I know Josie. Met her down in the basement when we were all stuck there and ran into her in the fucking castle where she let me charge up her phone. She seems nice. We've been chatting up about the whole Barbas/Mammon situation and how fucking sus it all is. All platonic, mind you.
[ He feels the need to clarify because things are going quite well with this conversation and he does not want jealousy to intervene. ]
A dinner and games sounds like a great idea, though. Speaking of games -- have you met Yugi? He'd be another one to add to the list. Or at least to invite because he loves games.
[ Her head tilts and she makes a thoughtful noise. ] I never really thought about that. I mean, she's super cool like a goddess. And super beautiful like one!
[ Wait. She probably shouldn't say that, even if (shockingly) she didn't consider Diana a lover. But before she has to worry about saying more, she's getting her nose booped. Monika makes a face at him. The action's mostly cute, yeah, but she does feel a little talked down to. Which isn't nice! She's practically a goddess, too!
After rolling her eyes away, she goes back to looking out at the expansive view, letting him continue on for a while. She's not listening terribly hard, because again, she wants nothing more than to kick his feet down. It's rude!
By the time she's paid attention again, he's mentioned Yugi, but she's become more focused on poking one of his calves with her big toe. That should be enough for him to get the hint. Like, what, is she supposed to ask him directly to move? As if! ]
Yeah, I met him. [ It's said absently. She's really poking at him now. ] I asked him for some of his hair.
His hair is pretty weird, isn't it? Why were you collecting hair?
[ Her poking foot gets ignored and in fact, he reaches down to sweep her legs up and drape them across his lap. He doesn't take her hint, but also maybe she won't be too upset about that as his fingertips brush adoringly over her calf -- idle, affectionate gestures. ]
[ The protest she was about to let out gets reduced to a squeak. Ohh, so unfair. It's like he knows or something! How can she resist something so sweet, though? It's an action plucked out of her romance novels, some of the fluffier ones lacking major drama. An action for a couple in love and at peace.
...He's off the hook. For now. ]
Well, it's-- [ Without her focus locked on his bad home manners, she gets to finally realize what she'd said sounds hella odd without context. ] I talked to one of those demons in town that can bring in something from home, and they wanted some hair for a spell, so...
[ There's a hesitation, then she looks like she's obviously concentrating. Suddenly, with a loud fizzle of static and pixels, a heart-tipped red pen appears in her hands. She wishes she could've made that look more polished, like some mesmerizing coin trick, but she lacks a lot of his finesse when it comes to commanding a digital surrounding. After all, she'd only just started to realize her budding potential before she got thrown in Hell. ]
It's my pen. [ It's held out to him with a small smile, if he'd like a closer look at her digital copy. ] I didn't know if I'd even be able to get it here, considering it wasn't, y'know, real and all...but I got it. It means a lot to me too, despite everything that happened. I mean, it was even in my official art!
[ God, it feels weird to say that, to speak fondly on something she generally loathed. But with him, she knows he won't judge. It's a weirdly nice feeling, and one she doesn't think she could share with anyone else--not even Henry. His video game opinions were kind of uncool, as she'd found out. ]
I wrote some really meaningful poems with that pen, so...I wanted it here with me. And Yugi helped. I owe him a lot for being so willing to do something so weird, ahaha.
[ His hands continue their gentle touch across her calf as she suddenly produces the pen. More than that, he has to smile at her technique. The digital creation could use some refinement -- but like with anything, practice makes perfect. He'll bring her into his headspace more so she can get a lay of the land and become confident in her abilities -- abilities that could later be useful for interfacing with other computers or perhaps even AI. His goddess needs to learn, after all.
He sits forward and takes the pen from her offered hand. While it's not all that impressive of an item on its own, the meaning she gives it makes it special and because of that, he treats it as such -- holding it like a cherished treasure as he turns and inspects it. ]
Well, that should be proof right there, there's a way to get you out into the real world. If they can take objects from your world and make them real here. I'll be able to do it there.
[ He gestures toward the dreary outdoors, looking toward the window with a faint smile. It will be so nice to be out of the cage hell keeps them in. The pen is returned to her. He doesn't even bat an eye at the remark about 'official art.' Just like she suspected, he doesn't judge her it in the least. He would never judge anything about her digital side. ]
You gonna write me a poem with your pen? Leave it on your nightstand for me to find in the morning? I'll shut down for the night to give the illusion of sleep so you can work real hard on it.
[ He smiles over at her, opting not to comment on Yugi. After all, it makes a ton of sense that if she needed hair, he was her choice. ]
[ Suddenly, that pen meant so much more. She'd never made such a connection. The fear always sat in the back of her mind, of course, that they'd escape this place and her existence wouldn't be compatible with his world...but this gave her renewed hope. All would eventually be well. They'd be together, no matter what.
After the pen's returned to her, she spins it around in her hands and glances out of the window with him. She couldn't wait till she felt real rain. Sat with him in their real, solid home, wherever it was. Saw the real, living and breathing world. ]
Sure, I'll write you a poem. [ She giggles. ] But I'll hide it somewhere in your room, so you have to work to find it! That way when you do, it'll be an extra fun surprise!
[ Monika smiles back at him, cheeks a bit warm. Sure, she was a bit selfish, but it brought her happiness to give him small joys like that. She can't wait until he eventually finds whatever she'll write.
Her eyes drift back to the outside, and it reminds her of something else that'd always lurked in her mind. And since she's already being more open than usual, what's a bit more? ]
You know, when we get out of Hell and all...just in case something happens, I figured you'd want to know where to look for me, right? [ Her lips press together and her shoulders lift towards her ears. ] My--my game. It's. Don't laugh, okay? But...it's called Doki Doki Literature Club. So don't forget. I'll be waiting for you if we don't make it out together.
[ Monika is trying to be cute, but Tech Boy is a little less than enthusiastic about her rooting around in his room. Not that he has anything to really hide. But he doesn't want to risk losing the second rune Loki gave him, not after the first had been unceremoniously destroyed. He offers her a weak smile as well as honesty. Because he knows if he doesn't offer some honesty here, she will go rooting around in his room to look for whatever caused him to not smile so bright at her suggestion. ]
Okay, cool. But if you find a little green stone, don't touch it. It's magic. It could hurt you.
[ Which is a stretch of the truth. But magical pain would probably be something she'd prefer to avoid, so it should keep her from interfering with it. And of course, when Monika tells him the name of her game, he doesn't laugh -- because it's not like Monika named it herself. There's nothing funny about her prison, either. ]
I hope it doesn't come down to it. But yeah, I'll come find you.
[ With an idle wave of his hand, he summons up a pad of paper and then reaches over for her hand holding the pen, his fingers encircling hers so they could write the title together. He guides her through some neat printed lettering, spelling out: Doki Doki Literature Club.
Once it's written, he tears the top page free and sends it off into a void. There's a little beep that echoes somewhere in the distance. ]
Oh, um. [ She blinks, brows furrowing. ] Okay. Sure.
[ All he's done is contributed to the creation of a million more questions. Why's he dealing with magic? What's this stone? Why is he keeping around something that could hurt her? But she bites her tongue. Now's not the time. There's not a lot of time for much when they're so focused on being a good couple and all...
She breathes out, letting the subject die completely. With reassurances that he'd find her if they got separated, it's easy to. A smile returns to her face--well, it disappears briefly when she hears the beep, because that was very inhuman--because now she knows there's an escape. Guaranteed.
And while him being very computer-like was a bit uncomfortable, she's struck by something at the sight of the notepad. She shifts a bit so she can better write on her own. ]
Hey. Look.
[ With an expression of deep concentration, she begins to write. 01001001 comes first, then she hesitates, wondering if she should write out the space, but ultimately she decides against it. Below it she writes 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101, and that takes a good while, one set of numbers getting crossed out and rewritten because she'd misplaced a 1. Then the final word finishes it one line lower. 01111001 01101111 01110101.
When she's done, she looks up at him, her smile widening. ]
[ Her request draws his attention and he watches her begin writing the binary with a swell of joy. Aw, now doesn't he feel special? She's learning it just for him! It's even cute when she makes mistakes and amends them. Although he knew what she was writing from the very first 01001001, seeing it in full brings a grin to his face. ]
I love you, too. First off.
[ He leans in to press a kiss to her lips and then separates to rest his head against hers, looking down at the notepad -- tracing his index finger across the second line especially. ]
I'm proud of you. Think of the secret messages we could leave each other like this. A language just for us. Not many people can read it here. Unless there's more and they just didn't bother to respond to my post. But either way, this is something real special. Just like you.
[ She breathes out a soft laugh at his reactions and approval. She'd worried a lot about that mistake, and it'd probably haunt her for a while, but he likes it, and that's all that matters.
After the kiss, one that leaves her head a bit fuzzy and her heart fluttery, she nuzzles against him, watching fondly as he brushes over the second line. ]
Thank you! It's kind of scary. And a lot. Still, I really do wanna do that--leave you little messages and stuff. It might take me a while to get beyond "I love you," but... [ One arm wraps around him and she squeezes him gently. ] Worth it. For someone way more special~
[ And that, coming from her? Clearly a compliment of the highest caliber.
But a sudden fizzle in her hand pulls her out of her love drunkenness, and she looks down to see the pen's suddenly begun to glitch wildly, pixels appearing at random as it tries to decide what color to be. ]
Oh, er-- [ She's trying to fix it, but it's only getting worse. At one point, she's holding something that seems to have eyeballs. With a yelp, she tosses it away, and it's deleted with a pathetic pop of static. ]
[ The glitching pen catches him off guard, cuts into their sweet moment. It's surprising, but he doesn't look alarmed. Even when it turns into twisted eyeballs, he's not disturbed. What had once been her pen disappears before he can even step in to fix it. He lets out a little laugh, blanketing her hand with his to cup it reassuringly. ]
You have a way with code, don't you? But this is the perfect place to tinker and play around. You're safe. Nothing's broken. And I can guide your hand through it so you can get better. Maybe even graduate to repairing damaged code on a computer or create your own digital headspace. The pillow you changed remained stable, so that's a good baseline of where to start -- playing around with colors, maybe sizes and shapes.
[ His legs finally come down off the coffee table and he plants them on the floor. ]
Why don't you try programming something on tv?
[ He gestures toward the flat screen that's currently turned off. ]
Could be a fond memory of you playing the piano in your world or like something you imagine you used to do as a little girl. Or maybe some kind of future fantasy of us that you're playing like a home movie. Take control of it and move the parts into place. I can help if you get stuck and I'll turn it off if you get uncomfortable.
[ If it ever seems like it's spinning out of control like her pen, at least. She's safe here. This is the one space where she can truly be safe. ]
[ Shoulders hunched, she spends a long time looking embarrassed. While she felt they were equals in most things, she knew this was something she wasn't so good at. And she really wanted to impress him all the time, especially when it came to the side of her that seemed to interest him the most. Usually. Somewhat. When she wasn't trying to pretend it didn't exist. ]
It's okay. You can say I'm bad! [ She laughs weakly before glancing down at the pillow. It was...something, at least? ] You might want to set your expectations a little lower, too. You might end up really disappointed!
[ Or corrupted...
It wasn't like her to be lacking confidence, yes. But she was kind of dealing with the expert of the experts here! And great, go figure, it takes putting her in the spotlight to get him to put his feet down. She glares over at the TV this is all its fault. ]
Don't you think that's a little like asking me to run before I can even crawl? It's...
[ She trails off. While she was feeling like he was asking the impossible, it wouldn't do to look weak and incapable. Not with someone so important to her. After all, she prided herself in her ability to be confident even when she didn't feel it. The TV gets another glance, a more determined one. ]
Don't expect anything from my past. Ever. There's nothing good.
[ Just stating facts. Nothing dramatic or anything. She wouldn't want him to think there was something worth seeing from what she'd left behind.
Clutching his hand with both of hers, she blinks at the TV, willing it to listen, seeking its code. For a long time, there's nothing, simply a blank, black screen. It's uncomfortable to stare at--a reminder of the void. But then, she abruptly connects. Ironically, the "no signal" splash screen comes up, but it's at least a sign that she's done something. She gawks for a moment before looking at him. ]
I'm just...warming up, okay?
[ And trying to quash the feeling that she's just been put behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler careening down the highway. ]
You're good. We literally have all the time in the world.
[ His thumb brushes across her knuckles as she attempts to connect to the television. No pressure, no annoyance. He has nothing but patience as she gets the 'no signal' sign to pop up. She knows how to connect. Sometimes that's half the battle. ]
Maybe I am giving you a tough task, but~! It's only because I know you can do it. My fiancee is a genius when it comes to figuring out this shit. She's clever and can think on her feet and didn't even get proper fucking training to have that intuition with code.
[ His hand moves back, trailing gently along her shoulder down to her elbow and back up again as his head rests against hers. Maybe he's being a bit of a distraction, but he's trying to encourage with his presence. It's just that she's so cute and it's hard to keep his hands off of her. ]
Don't overthink it. Just reach out and extend your mental hand, connect and it should let you in with ease. Touch it with your mind and allow it to project your thoughts.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ Which means they'll be going STRAIGHT to Silicon Valley. But hey, at least the view's kind of pretty. ]
and nothing's out of our price range. both in my head and reality
i promise, i can get you whatever you want whenever we get out of this fucking place for real and go back to my world
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and i love how you say you're going to spoil me so much when we get out of here when you're already doing it so much~~ 💕💕💕💕
well? is this all enough? are you ready???
[ She sets her phone aside and rolls over to face him, giggling. ]
I'm getting way too excited! Come on! Let's go!
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Yeah, yeah. We're good. Just needed to decide the perfect angle for your rainy day view, but I think I got it.
[ Both of his phones go onto the stand with the earbuds (one from home for music and the other for communicating). He doesn't want any interruptions on the off chance someone decides to text him. ]
Bring it in...
[ His arms open for her to scoot into them. She knows the drill. They gotta be extra close and snuggly to make this connection. ]
no subject
[ Cheerfully, she practically dives into his arms. It's immediately stifling, but for this? She can tolerate it. ]
If you're all sweaty after we're done with all this...I'm sorry.
[ With a soft smile, one of her hands comes up to touch his cheek. The heat her fingers leave behind as they stroke it are more than just her body's new normal--it's her love. Her appreciation. Who else could give her so much? ]
Worth it, though. Right?
[ And before he has to worry about getting them physically linked, she goes in for the kiss. She's learning! ]
no subject
Worth it.
[ He mumbles against her lips. Full agreement. He'll deal if he's left a sweaty mess -- wouldn't be the first time Monika's left him that way after all. For now, he opens the channels and invites her within -- away from the outside world and into his own digital expanse of one. They find themselves in Silicon Valley, in the middle of an empty high rise, penthouse apartment -- windows spanning around the entire living room area, giving a 180 degree view of the distant waters, bridge and buildings -- all coated in the dreary mist of steady rainfall.
The apartment begins to fill with furniture, both at the whims of Monika and Tech Boy. A book case spans the entire back wall from floor to ceiling, requiring a ladder to get to the top with a cozy reading nook beside it. The open kitchen fills itself in sleek and modern, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
As promised, the air conditioning is cranking at max. And from the back bedroom, an Italian Greyhound comes trotting up to greet Monika -- the color markings of her choosing. Tech Boy figures it's small enough to be manageable but big enough to not be yappy. ]
Welcome to one of my favorite areas. Figured I'd put us closer to the San Francisco end of things to give you a view of that bridge.
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It's still just as jarring, though, watching the apartment forming around them. She spins and spins, her lips slightly parted in awe as everything fills in. What a weirdly familiar feeling. There's a temptation to ask if they should put up a loading screen, but she refrains. As the time passes, dream is becoming reality.
Eventually, her eyes settle on the view--perfectly rainy, perfectly dreary--and she has to swallow down some tears. Sure, it's not real, so to speak, but to see it, to feel like she was in it... ]
California?
[ She steps up to the window, hugging herself with a distant smile. Hell was real, yes. That'd become her new reality. But this had been what she truly wanted, to be like any other human on Earth. This is the closest she'd ever come to it. How could she ever leave?
It's only then that she realizes there's been an insistent scamp pleading for attention at her legs and she giggles, crouching down to finally give Hermes--of course!--some much-deserved scritches behind the ears. Once he's satisfied, she straightens up, turning to grant someone else some appreciative attention.
She takes TB's hands, giving them a soft squeeze. ]
It feels like home already, darling.
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[ He nods to the mantle place where some 'photographs' of their engagement surface -- the garden is greener, more vibrant than it had been in person and it's more of an idealized version of the day, eradicating all traces of hell and placing it somewhere on Earth. The glorious apple tree, however, still remains. And they are still in the same clothing they wore, and the ring is exactly as it is on her finger. The important details remain exactly as they had been. ]
Can't wait to replace those with actual wedding pictures, though.
[ He leans in to give her a soft kiss, lingering there for a few seconds before inching back. ]
Which we really should start planning soon. A ton of people are fucking stoked for it.
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As she looks back at him, he mentions the wedding. Something in her stomach drops. For a few fleeting seconds, she feels something like guilt for all that he doesn't know, but she pushes it away. Now's not the time.
Now's the time to enjoy the kiss and his affection. Her eyes stay closed for a little while, the bad feelings drifting away.
...Or not.
She blinks her eyes open, immediately gluing a smile in place. No suspicion! No fear! ]
Ahaha, yeah! I saw you talking to someone on the network about it. [ Confirmation that, yes, she's always watching him from afar. ] Anyone else I should know about?
[ Thankfully, it seemed like no one she, ahem, knew was privy to the news, minus Henry. And that was one unwieldy can of worms she still hardly knew how to deal with after opening it. Oof. ]
And where do we even start?
[ She's beginning to realize that dreaming about a wedding is a lot easier than actually, you know, making it happen. How vaguely terrifying. ]
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My buddy Harlan's obviously gonna come. You should meet him sometime. He's cool. I might actually ask him to be one of my groomsmen. There's this other guy Daryl who may or may not come. He's kind of a bum, but I got high with him once and he gave me some relationship advice, so I'd at least send him an invite.
[ There's an awkward pause. Hopefully she wouldn't get upset by this next set of guests. ]
Belladonna and her boyfriend, maybe? If you'd be cool with them there? I didn't officially invite them or anything, but she would probably love to come and tell you how beautiful you are, which everyone should rightly fucking do.
[ He smiles, taking her hand and guiding them toward one of the couches so they could lounge and look out at the dreary landscape before them -- still alive and thriving with passing cars and boats. As close to reality as Tech Boy could make it. ]
In terms of planning, though, I think we probably start with our wedding party, right? Decide how many people we want in it and start asking from there. It doesn't have to be big. It's however big you want it to be. So if we cap it at two wedding party members each, I don't think anyone's gonna complain. Wuxian and Harlan for me, and whoever you choose on your side? That random dude I was chatting with on the network has some girls he said he could ask for you...
[ Just in case Monika needed some girls on her side! He's being helpful! ]
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Also, is he going to get weird about what she's going to say? Please don't get weird with what she's about to say. ]
I've met Harlan, actually, when I went out one night. He's nice!
[ Aaand she's just gonna leave it at that. Safer that way. No comment about Daryl, though, because...seriously, what the hell, Zeus.
Her eyebrow does twitch upward at the next suggestion, however. She somehow manages to limit her reaction to that.
...And a slight pursing of her lips. Look, she's trying, okay! ]
I...guess I could be okay with them, too.
[ Again, leaving it at that. After he leads her over to the couch, she pulls her feet up and settles in next to him, grabbing a pillow to cling to in case she needed it to divert any potential rage.
Hmm. She doesn't like the color, though, and she wonders if she can fix it, considering he'd given her some control. After some thought, it fizzles with static and turns emerald green in her arms, as do the other throw pillows. Better! ]
Well...I definitely think it's going to be better for it to be small. I'm realizing I don't really know a lot of girls.
[ Such a shame. She attracted a lot of guys for some reason. ]
Oh, but! I know an Amazon! She'd probably look amazing in a green dress! And she's been really nice to me!
[ Should she give a name? It'd probably be best to give a name so she's doing better at the whole "sharing" thing. And bonus--she's not a lover! Yay? ]
Her name's Diana. Maybe I could make her maid of honor?
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All is well.
He watches her change the pillow to an emerald green and wrinkles his nose slightly. It's quite stark against the modern aesthetic, the various shades of black, grey and white with a few stand out colors to draw focus. But this is her home, too. She can make the choice -- even if a more pastel green would have been better, just saying. ]
Oh, that's cool.
[ Sounds like she probably doesn't know much about technology, but if she's been nice to Monika, that's what matters. ]
Yeah, I'd say definitely ask her next time you talk. Maybe we can all go out to dinner sometime. I'll even eat so you don't have to answer any weird questions.
[ Amusement crosses his lips and he kicks his legs up onto the coffee table. ]
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Not that she isn't secretly plotting how to find some way to embarrass Belladonna on the big day or anything... ]
She's really cool! She's helped me through some bad times here. And hey! [ With a giggle, she nudges him. ] She's associated with the real Zeus! Or a Zeus. I mean, it all gets confusing. She fought in the First World War and Ares was involved somehow? Eh...
[ The whole multiverse thing was impossible to wrap her head around, so like most uncomfortable things, she just won't think about it. ]
But yeah! That sounds good! And there's...oh! [ Another safe choice! Mostly! ] There's Josie! She's close to my age! It'll create some balance!
[ Unlike how his feet on the nice coffee table are throwing things off now. She does her best not to pointedly stare at them. ]
So, a... [ Dammit, those feet... ] A dinner with all of them. Maybe some games too? It'd be good to have some sort of ice breaker thing, right?
[ Dammit, THOSE. FEET. ]
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[ He taps his forehead -- because he's always got that google going. ]
I don't fucking pay too much attention to the old gods. But! Look at you making friends with all these deities.
[ He grins over at her, bringing his index finger up and in to boop her on the nose. It's meant to be cute. It might come off a little bit patronizing, though, but he means well! The easy smile on his face brightens a little as Monika brings up Josie. ]
Ah. Josie? I know Josie. Met her down in the basement when we were all stuck there and ran into her in the fucking castle where she let me charge up her phone. She seems nice. We've been chatting up about the whole Barbas/Mammon situation and how fucking sus it all is. All platonic, mind you.
[ He feels the need to clarify because things are going quite well with this conversation and he does not want jealousy to intervene. ]
A dinner and games sounds like a great idea, though. Speaking of games -- have you met Yugi? He'd be another one to add to the list. Or at least to invite because he loves games.
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[ Wait. She probably shouldn't say that, even if (shockingly) she didn't consider Diana a lover. But before she has to worry about saying more, she's getting her nose booped. Monika makes a face at him. The action's mostly cute, yeah, but she does feel a little talked down to. Which isn't nice! She's practically a goddess, too!
After rolling her eyes away, she goes back to looking out at the expansive view, letting him continue on for a while. She's not listening terribly hard, because again, she wants nothing more than to kick his feet down. It's rude!
By the time she's paid attention again, he's mentioned Yugi, but she's become more focused on poking one of his calves with her big toe. That should be enough for him to get the hint. Like, what, is she supposed to ask him directly to move? As if! ]
Yeah, I met him. [ It's said absently. She's really poking at him now. ] I asked him for some of his hair.
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[ Her poking foot gets ignored and in fact, he reaches down to sweep her legs up and drape them across his lap. He doesn't take her hint, but also maybe she won't be too upset about that as his fingertips brush adoringly over her calf -- idle, affectionate gestures. ]
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...He's off the hook. For now. ]
Well, it's-- [ Without her focus locked on his bad home manners, she gets to finally realize what she'd said sounds hella odd without context. ] I talked to one of those demons in town that can bring in something from home, and they wanted some hair for a spell, so...
[ There's a hesitation, then she looks like she's obviously concentrating. Suddenly, with a loud fizzle of static and pixels, a heart-tipped red pen appears in her hands. She wishes she could've made that look more polished, like some mesmerizing coin trick, but she lacks a lot of his finesse when it comes to commanding a digital surrounding. After all, she'd only just started to realize her budding potential before she got thrown in Hell. ]
It's my pen. [ It's held out to him with a small smile, if he'd like a closer look at her digital copy. ] I didn't know if I'd even be able to get it here, considering it wasn't, y'know, real and all...but I got it. It means a lot to me too, despite everything that happened. I mean, it was even in my official art!
[ God, it feels weird to say that, to speak fondly on something she generally loathed. But with him, she knows he won't judge. It's a weirdly nice feeling, and one she doesn't think she could share with anyone else--not even Henry. His video game opinions were kind of uncool, as she'd found out. ]
I wrote some really meaningful poems with that pen, so...I wanted it here with me. And Yugi helped. I owe him a lot for being so willing to do something so weird, ahaha.
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He sits forward and takes the pen from her offered hand. While it's not all that impressive of an item on its own, the meaning she gives it makes it special and because of that, he treats it as such -- holding it like a cherished treasure as he turns and inspects it. ]
Well, that should be proof right there, there's a way to get you out into the real world. If they can take objects from your world and make them real here. I'll be able to do it there.
[ He gestures toward the dreary outdoors, looking toward the window with a faint smile. It will be so nice to be out of the cage hell keeps them in. The pen is returned to her. He doesn't even bat an eye at the remark about 'official art.' Just like she suspected, he doesn't judge her it in the least. He would never judge anything about her digital side. ]
You gonna write me a poem with your pen? Leave it on your nightstand for me to find in the morning? I'll shut down for the night to give the illusion of sleep so you can work real hard on it.
[ He smiles over at her, opting not to comment on Yugi. After all, it makes a ton of sense that if she needed hair, he was her choice. ]
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After the pen's returned to her, she spins it around in her hands and glances out of the window with him. She couldn't wait till she felt real rain. Sat with him in their real, solid home, wherever it was. Saw the real, living and breathing world. ]
Sure, I'll write you a poem. [ She giggles. ] But I'll hide it somewhere in your room, so you have to work to find it! That way when you do, it'll be an extra fun surprise!
[ Monika smiles back at him, cheeks a bit warm. Sure, she was a bit selfish, but it brought her happiness to give him small joys like that. She can't wait until he eventually finds whatever she'll write.
Her eyes drift back to the outside, and it reminds her of something else that'd always lurked in her mind. And since she's already being more open than usual, what's a bit more? ]
You know, when we get out of Hell and all...just in case something happens, I figured you'd want to know where to look for me, right? [ Her lips press together and her shoulders lift towards her ears. ] My--my game. It's. Don't laugh, okay? But...it's called Doki Doki Literature Club. So don't forget. I'll be waiting for you if we don't make it out together.
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Okay, cool. But if you find a little green stone, don't touch it. It's magic. It could hurt you.
[ Which is a stretch of the truth. But magical pain would probably be something she'd prefer to avoid, so it should keep her from interfering with it. And of course, when Monika tells him the name of her game, he doesn't laugh -- because it's not like Monika named it herself. There's nothing funny about her prison, either. ]
I hope it doesn't come down to it. But yeah, I'll come find you.
[ With an idle wave of his hand, he summons up a pad of paper and then reaches over for her hand holding the pen, his fingers encircling hers so they could write the title together. He guides her through some neat printed lettering, spelling out: Doki Doki Literature Club.
Once it's written, he tears the top page free and sends it off into a void. There's a little beep that echoes somewhere in the distance. ]
There. Fucking archived. I won't forget it.
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[ All he's done is contributed to the creation of a million more questions. Why's he dealing with magic? What's this stone? Why is he keeping around something that could hurt her? But she bites her tongue. Now's not the time. There's not a lot of time for much when they're so focused on being a good couple and all...
She breathes out, letting the subject die completely. With reassurances that he'd find her if they got separated, it's easy to. A smile returns to her face--well, it disappears briefly when she hears the beep, because that was very inhuman--because now she knows there's an escape. Guaranteed.
And while him being very computer-like was a bit uncomfortable, she's struck by something at the sight of the notepad. She shifts a bit so she can better write on her own. ]
Hey. Look.
[ With an expression of deep concentration, she begins to write. 01001001 comes first, then she hesitates, wondering if she should write out the space, but ultimately she decides against it. Below it she writes 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101, and that takes a good while, one set of numbers getting crossed out and rewritten because she'd misplaced a 1. Then the final word finishes it one line lower. 01111001 01101111 01110101.
When she's done, she looks up at him, her smile widening. ]
I've been practicing a little! What do you think?
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I love you, too. First off.
[ He leans in to press a kiss to her lips and then separates to rest his head against hers, looking down at the notepad -- tracing his index finger across the second line especially. ]
I'm proud of you. Think of the secret messages we could leave each other like this. A language just for us. Not many people can read it here. Unless there's more and they just didn't bother to respond to my post. But either way, this is something real special. Just like you.
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After the kiss, one that leaves her head a bit fuzzy and her heart fluttery, she nuzzles against him, watching fondly as he brushes over the second line. ]
Thank you! It's kind of scary. And a lot. Still, I really do wanna do that--leave you little messages and stuff. It might take me a while to get beyond "I love you," but... [ One arm wraps around him and she squeezes him gently. ] Worth it. For someone way more special~
[ And that, coming from her? Clearly a compliment of the highest caliber.
But a sudden fizzle in her hand pulls her out of her love drunkenness, and she looks down to see the pen's suddenly begun to glitch wildly, pixels appearing at random as it tries to decide what color to be. ]
Oh, er-- [ She's trying to fix it, but it's only getting worse. At one point, she's holding something that seems to have eyeballs. With a yelp, she tosses it away, and it's deleted with a pathetic pop of static. ]
Um. Yeah. Maybe I should work on that, too...
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You have a way with code, don't you? But this is the perfect place to tinker and play around. You're safe. Nothing's broken. And I can guide your hand through it so you can get better. Maybe even graduate to repairing damaged code on a computer or create your own digital headspace. The pillow you changed remained stable, so that's a good baseline of where to start -- playing around with colors, maybe sizes and shapes.
[ His legs finally come down off the coffee table and he plants them on the floor. ]
Why don't you try programming something on tv?
[ He gestures toward the flat screen that's currently turned off. ]
Could be a fond memory of you playing the piano in your world or like something you imagine you used to do as a little girl. Or maybe some kind of future fantasy of us that you're playing like a home movie. Take control of it and move the parts into place. I can help if you get stuck and I'll turn it off if you get uncomfortable.
[ If it ever seems like it's spinning out of control like her pen, at least. She's safe here. This is the one space where she can truly be safe. ]
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It's okay. You can say I'm bad! [ She laughs weakly before glancing down at the pillow. It was...something, at least? ] You might want to set your expectations a little lower, too. You might end up really disappointed!
[ Or corrupted...
It wasn't like her to be lacking confidence, yes. But she was kind of dealing with the expert of the experts here! And great, go figure, it takes putting her in the spotlight to get him to put his feet down. She glares over at the TV this is all its fault. ]
Don't you think that's a little like asking me to run before I can even crawl? It's...
[ She trails off. While she was feeling like he was asking the impossible, it wouldn't do to look weak and incapable. Not with someone so important to her. After all, she prided herself in her ability to be confident even when she didn't feel it. The TV gets another glance, a more determined one. ]
Don't expect anything from my past. Ever. There's nothing good.
[ Just stating facts. Nothing dramatic or anything. She wouldn't want him to think there was something worth seeing from what she'd left behind.
Clutching his hand with both of hers, she blinks at the TV, willing it to listen, seeking its code. For a long time, there's nothing, simply a blank, black screen. It's uncomfortable to stare at--a reminder of the void. But then, she abruptly connects. Ironically, the "no signal" splash screen comes up, but it's at least a sign that she's done something. She gawks for a moment before looking at him. ]
I'm just...warming up, okay?
[ And trying to quash the feeling that she's just been put behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler careening down the highway. ]
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[ His thumb brushes across her knuckles as she attempts to connect to the television. No pressure, no annoyance. He has nothing but patience as she gets the 'no signal' sign to pop up. She knows how to connect. Sometimes that's half the battle. ]
Maybe I am giving you a tough task, but~! It's only because I know you can do it. My fiancee is a genius when it comes to figuring out this shit. She's clever and can think on her feet and didn't even get proper fucking training to have that intuition with code.
[ His hand moves back, trailing gently along her shoulder down to her elbow and back up again as his head rests against hers. Maybe he's being a bit of a distraction, but he's trying to encourage with his presence. It's just that she's so cute and it's hard to keep his hands off of her. ]
Don't overthink it. Just reach out and extend your mental hand, connect and it should let you in with ease. Touch it with your mind and allow it to project your thoughts.
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