peacockstop | TDM 03

Entry tags:

!mod,
!tdm

TDM 03

【 Hello, dearest guests. We hope you have been enjoying your time in the Golden Peacock and utilizing our many amenities.

Reception would like all guests to be aware that some new arrivals have been misplaced. Due to the nature of the resort, new arrivals may have been misplaced in unexpected locations. This includes your personal suites. We are very sorry for this inconvenience.

Please do not be alarmed if you come across a misplaced new arrival. We kindly request that any guests that find a misplaced new arrival escort them to the main hub, where we have arranged a central meetup where all new arrivals can claim their complimentary robes and welcome baskets.

All guests are invited to come mingle at the main hub and meet new arrivals. As always, we hope you have a pleasant day! 】

DEALER'S CHOICE

STEVE, WHERE DID YOU PUT THE NEW ARRIVALS?

The Golden Peacock has swept away the hues of winter and welcomed vibrant pops of color for a change of pace. Gone are the snow whites and cool golds. Vases of bright florals have been staged all throughout the general hubs and hallways. Statues have been cheekily decorated with bright clothes, such as charming hats and billowing dresses with cheerful prints. This peacock has cleaned up nicely, its brilliant feathers shaking with a warm palette to please the senses.

Staff are bustling during the decor turnover. While some diligent employees are steadfastly decorating the hallways with sprawling vines and spectacular blooms, others are darting back and forth in search of something. Or rather — someone. Several someones. Front reception is in an outright panic while flying over the phones and furiously slamming their hands on keyboards.

"Steve, I know you're new, but you can't just press any button that pops up on the computer screen! The new arrivals are supposed to go into temporary suites." Deborah, the head receptionist, sighs, "Now who knows where they are. I hope they're okay... I'm sure they're quite confused, wherever they wound up. Steve, stop crying. The house won't fire you for this. Probably. How's your resume looking?"

THE BATHROOM BUTTON ▷ Due to a mistake at front reception, new arrivals aren't waking up in a temporarily assigned suite like usual. All new arrivals will wake up in a bathroom somewhere in the Golden Peacock. Steve, bless his heart, chose the wrong button and directed all new arrivals to bathrooms. Why do they even have a "bathroom" button at front reception, anyway? Who is that for?!

▷ Players are encouraged to get creative and have their character wake up in any bathroom location across the resort. Please feel free to reference our LOCATIONS for ideas as to where your character might wake up. As long as it's in a bathroom, it can be anywhere. Almost all locations within the resort have a bathroom!

▷ Not even current character suites are safe. New arrivals may wake up in tubs, toilets, and showers in suite locations as well as general resort locations. For low rank rooms, the communal bathroom is also fair game for sudden new naked arrivals to wake up in.

THE MAIN LOBBY ▷ A welcome station has been set up in the main lobby. After getting their bearings and finding their way to the main lobby after an unexpected bathroom adventure, new arrivals will find racks of plush terrycloth robes and yellow tracksuits. They will also be given a welcome basket with general toiletries and snacks to get them started in the resort. Some gift baskets include special sex toys picked out just for them! They haven't tell anyone about that specific kink before? The house knows its guests well. No need to say anything at all.

▷ Front reception has arranged a welcome party to greet new arrivals and help get them more comfortable. Not because they feel extremely guilty about the bathroom mixup and are hoping that these new arrivals won't complain to the house. Definitely not! With the help of 24K and Birdbucks, new arrivals and guests alike will be treated to alcohol or coffee at the front desk's expense. The fireplaces are roaring and several couches have been set up to create a comfortable atmosphere. Some long-standing guests have joined in to tell stories about how much fun they've had at the resort while enjoying a drink by the fire.

TIME FOR BED... BUT? ▷ Due to the initial mistake at reception there are no empty suites available for new arrivals to borrow. Staff have set up twin-sized cots at the back of the main lobby for new arrivals while sprucing up the situation as a giant slumber party. All new arrivals will be assigned a cot and given a privacy screen. Unfortunately, there isn't much privacy to be had when you're shacking up in a public spot.

▷ Don't worry — this will only be until check-in has been properly completed and guests have been assigned to their correct suite. We're so sorry, please don't complain to the house! Or if you do, blame Steve!

▷ The ghost that haunts the main lobby isn't thrilled about this either. He's just a nice, low-key ghost that likes to watch people and knock over cups at Birdbucks when no one is looking. How is he supposed to do that with these people sleeping in the main lobby? In an effort to spook off these new arrivals, the ghost haunting the main lobby may whisper some odd things into their ears at night. Odd things like, "The person next to you is watching you sleep, you should run away," and "You just farted and everyone knows it was you. You should leave." Surprisingly effective, no?

In the end, Steve didn't get fired. But he did get reassigned to trash duty.

FLORAL RIOT

A STRIKE OF COLOR

【 🌸🌸🌸 Come experience new floral delights! Prepare to be ravished by a symphony of color and aroma. Romance, love, and pleasure all await within corridors of beauty. 🌸 🌸 🌸 】

Days before the grand unveiling, the gardeners of the Cloud Dwelling Garden distribute flyers announcing that their special floral exhibition is now ready for guests to enjoy. Long-standing guests vibrate in anticipation, eagerly stomping around the gardens until the ribbon is cut and the newest resort amenity has been revealed. The gardeners make a point to approach new guests and encourage them to join in on the fun, explaining that the house likes to create a new floral experience for guests every few years or so.

Exhibition opening is set for mid-month. On the 15th precisely, the gardeners line up in front of the white sheet hiding the project, each taking a turn to bow and say a few short words about how grand and generous the house is for giving them such rewarding jobs.

The curtains fall away to a wall of shockingly bright florals. Guests ooh and aahh at not only the array of shades but at the luxurious meld of so many different kinds of flowers. Wisteria and roses, lilies and carnations. Lilacs, peonies, daisies, daffodils, sunflowers. More and more and more and more. The staff explain that this flower maze is perhaps their most intricate piece of work yet and that there is grand surprise waiting at the heart. Additionally, as part of the festivities, several prizes have been hidden around the maze at dead-ends. Long-standing guests clap and cheer before charging inside.

THE FLOWER MAZE ▷ The flower maze is a winding marvel of foliage boasting over ten feet tall. Like the hedge maze, there are various twists and turns for guests to explore. This maze is a coalition of every flower thinkable, with many squared sections highlighting particular breeds. Bright pops of whites, pinks, and yellows knit with deeper purples, reds, and blues. Trees rich with blossoms hang low. Bushes rich with waxy leaves guide the way to different hidden alcoves and pockets. The flower maze is complicated and very easy to get lost in for hours. However, there is nothing magical or paranormal about it. It's just a flower maze.

▷ Guests may find statues overgrown with ivy within the maze. Despite the flower maze being a new addition to the garden, these statues are marked with age. They are weathered, having survived through the elements despite there being no real weather in the garden. Some statues are chipped and missing appendages. Despite how these old statues feel out of place in a brand new exhibit, they do not give any sense that they aren’t simply decor.

▷ Romantic gazebos have been incorporated into the design of the maze. These are popular rendezvous spots for guests to overlook the sprawling flowers and small ponds on the comfort of a small couch or a swinging bench for two. Some special gazebos have been furnished with daybeds and other comfortable furniture.

▷ Treasure chests can be found hidden throughout the flower maze. Many of these chests are filled with sex toys and lubricants to help players get into the mood to play 52, but not only sex related items are available. Some chests may have clothes, some may have treats, some may even be filled with rocks.

▷ A few mimics have snuck in alongside the treasure chests. When opened, a mimic chest will curse the opener with a horny tongue. For a short period, the cursed individual will find themselves making erotic freudian slips. "How are you doing?" may end up coming out as, "How are you fucking?" While this curse will eventually wear off on its own, the embarrassment is forever.

THE GRAND FLOWER LAWN ▷ Guests that find the heart of the maze will discover the grand flower lawn. Also called the flower sea by staff, this brilliant landscape is covered in a lush carpet of flowers in shades of blue. Blue roses are the crown jewel of the flower sea, carefully dethorned so that guests may spread out on a velvety bed of petals.

▷ It isn’t impossible for our hardworking gardeners to miss a thorn or two. Even with careful checking, a few thorns have escaped scrutinizing staff. Guests pricked by a thorn while on the rose lawn will begin to feel drowsy. Effects may range from light exhaustion to falling into deep slumber. The cure for the rose's thorn curse is a kiss. Don't worry: true love need not apply in this case.

▷ Picnic baskets are available for guests that would like relax out on the lawn. Included in the picnic basket set: a blanket and set of pillows, fruit sandwiches, champagne, small cakes, and cookies. Hot tea and coffee is also available upon request. Staff are happy to accommodate any other special requests as well. Ask and ye shall receive.

SPECIAL LAWN GAMES ▷ All guests lounging on the lawn will receive a cheerful message on their Watch: 【 WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A LAWN GAME? 】

Guests that select the NO option will be left to their snoozing and merriment. Guests that select YES will receive a follow-up message.

▷ 【 Thank you for participating in the Lawn Game. Please choose one of the below options. You will be informed of what surprise task you have chosen after selecting an option. All level one tasks will reward in a small payout upon completion. All level two tasks will reward in a medium payout upon completion. All level three tasks will reward in two extra-large payouts upon completion. 】

LEVEL ONE

【 1♡ 】Serenade another player with a romantic ballad.
【 1♢ 】Perform oral sex on another player.
【 1♧ 】Discover a secret about another player.
【 1♤ 】Steal an item from another player.

LEVEL TWO

【 2♡ 】Confess any romantic crushes you may have to another player. The player need not be one of the crushes in question.
【 2♢ 】Find a unique item to use as a dildo. Allow another player to use this unique item to fuck one or more of your orifices.
【 2♧ 】Describe, in explicit detail, one of your erotic fantasies and/or desires to another player.
【 2♤ 】Take on a submissive role and please another player, either sexually or non-sexually.

LEVEL THREE

【 3♡ 】Make passionate love to another player while in the missionary position.
【 3♢ 】Engage in any sex act involving penetration on the Grand Flower Lawn with another player.
【 3♧ 】Participate in a sex act you have never engaged in before with another player.
【 3♤ 】Kidnap another player for 24 hours.

▷ Players will be prompted to select an option without knowing what the corresponding task is. The task will be sent to their Watch after they have selected an option. To see what your character is lucky enough to receive as their task, simply click the dropdown!

▷ There is no penalty for characters that wuss out and are unable to complete their prompt aside from a mocking message to their Watch,【 LOSER, LOSER, LOSER. BIG LOSER. 】

The flower maze will only last as long as the most fleeting flowers do. The flower maze will remain open to the public for several weeks, after which it will close for further remodeling.

"We'll be open again with another complex arrangement," one of the gardeners explains cheerfully. "A maze isn't fun once you've learned the layout. We'll open again after creating a whole new design for guests to enjoy. Maybe even some new flowers, too. A lot of the ones on the lawn got funky after guests came all over them..."

SMOKY NECTAR

DRIBBLE OF SWEETNESS

The conservatory is even busier than the gardens. Unlike the easygoing staff in the garden, employees in the conservatory are busy zooming to and fro with brooms while trying to get a handle on the unexpectedly huge amount of pollen. From flowers, from trees — so much pollen. The ground is coated and the air is thick. Several long-standing guests visiting the area have fallen into sneezing fits. Even with cleaning efforts to mitigate the build-up, the pollen becomes thicker as the weeks go on. Staff eventually give up on trying to sweep it away.

This pollen is not standard. Guests that inhale this pollen will begin to feel feverish and strange. Continued exposure to this pollen will heighten a desire for sex to the point of all-encompassing need. Orgasms become much more intense. Nipples are constantly hard. Guests may also be overwhelmed with the urge to "fertilize or become fertilized" — to aggressively deliver or receive cumshots. Gardeners soon realize that normal pollen has been tainted by the cross-breeding of their new spectacular fruits, resulting in an extremely potent sex pollen that affects people and animals. This sex pollen is stronger than any of the current aphrodisiacs in the resort, baffling the gardeners. They weren't even trying to make horny fruit!

The effects of the sex pollen will ease after a few days unless exposure is continued. Guests with too much exposure to the sex pollen may find themselves passing out from violently intense successive orgasms. Any guests found unconscious post-orgasm will be delivered to the Broken Wing clinic for recovery.

THE ORCHARD ▷ The gardeners are thrilled to present this season's fruit orchard. When the previously closed-off portion of the orchard opens, guests will find that some of the delicious fruit hanging on the trees are ... strange. In collaboration with the Dizzy Pigeon, the gardeners of the conservatory have crossbred several standard fruits to create new fruits with delicious, never before seen flavors. Sure, there are the typical apple and orange trees to pick from, but why not give something new a try? Each of these new breeds have been imagined with paying homage to one of the glorious suits in mind.

▷ ORANGEBERRY: A blend of oranges and blueberries. This delicious new citrus has a hard outer peel but tender flesh inside. Sweet with a slightly tart aftertaste. Bred in homage to the Diamonds suit. Those who eat this fruit may experience heightened sensitivity to touch and temperature for a short period time.

▷ PEARAPPLE: A blend of pears and pineapples. A brilliant combination of mildly sweet with a punch of tang. The outside of this large fruit is rough and prickly. Once cut into, the flesh is firm but juicy. Bred in homage to the Hearts suit. Those who eat this fruit may experience intense positive emotions, such as a sudden onset of one-sided love or excessive positivity, for a short period of time.

▷ PEAPLUMTO: A blend of peaches, plums, and tomatoes. This succulent fruit is powerfully sweet, with a fuzzy skin and silky inside. A new favorite for juicing. Bred in homage to the Clubs suit. Those who eat this fruit may find themselves being extremely impulsive for a short period of time.

▷ CHERRYUZU: A blend of cherries and yuzu. These tiny bunches of fruit are sour enough to make the strongest-willed person scrunch their face up! Small but powerful, these fruits are satisfying to bite into with a pop. Bred in homage to the Spades suit. Those who eat this fruit may experience intense negative emotions, such as sudden possessiveness or jealousy, for a short period of time.

THE BUTTERFLY DOME ▷ The butterfly dome is exploding with color. Bright dots of yellow and orange speckle greenery without restraint. An assortment of butterflies lazily fly from buttercup to tulip. These butterflies are unafraid of people and may approach guests, dusting them with the thick pollen that coats their wings before they flutter off elsewhere. The pollen here is thicker than anywhere else in the conservatory. Guests may feel the effects of the sex pollen more strongly while in the butterfly dome. Breathing in pollen for one hour in the butterfly dome is equal to breathing in pollen for several days in the rest of the conservatory.

▷ Several flowers glitter with moisture in the light. Upon closer inspection, guests will find that it isn't morning dew — it's floral nectar. Its light and smoky scent may trigger an intense desire to drink. Guests that give in to the urge and drink the nectar will find themselves overcome with unbearable thirst afterward. No amount of nectar, water, or any other beverage will satisfy. The thirst can only be satisfied by swallowing semen or vaginal fluid. The longer one goes without satisfying the thirst, the thirstier they will become.

BUNS GONE WILD ▷ The normally docile giant flemish rabbits that wander the conservatory have gotten into the spirit of 52 as well. These romantic rabbits have been mating relentlessly since the pollen hit, and now the vegetable patches have been overrun with hundreds of young rabbits looking for food. No vegetable is safe while dozens of baby rabbits are running free, not knowing that they shouldn't eat directly from the patches. Due to the recent vegetable shortage restaurants in the dining quarter have been complaining about not getting their produce deliveries. It's a real problem!

▷ The gardeners have been begging guests to assist in catching these baby rabbits. There are too many for them to catch on their own. Guests who are willing to help will be instructed to catch the young rabbits and deposit them into the large wooden pen built to house them. However, this won't be an easy job — these little rabbits are fast!

▷ While the gardeners can't offer chip payment for the help, they will happily give any guests that assist good plots of land to raise their own vegetables. Rabbit adoption is also on the table!

The sex pollen will fade out within a few weeks, when the new breeds of fruit have all been harvested and delivered to restaurants. The gardeners collectively agree to be more careful when engineering new breeds in the future. "I do think," reports one worker in the conservatory, "the house will be impressed that we've managed to engineer an even stronger aphrodisiac. Great things happen on accident!"

PETAL-STAINED LIPS

A BLOOMING DISEASE

👩‍🦰 "Hack hack, hack hack... what do you mean, 'please cover my mouth when I cough'? I'm a rank nine. Nine! You can't tell me what to do. Now, clean up this mess. I've been coughing up flower petals all day." 👩‍🦰

Wet, smudged petals scatter across the floors of the Peacock. The source is initially unclear, since the perfectly groomed flowers in their decorative vases are in perfect condition. Soon the number of guests coughing into their fists begins to rise and more soggy plants plague the hallways.

After the garden and conservatory unveil their Spring additions the clinic will begin to over-run with guests complaining of various symptoms. There aren't enough beds and there certainly aren't enough doctors and nurses to meet rising demand. Guests continue to visit the clinic complaining of some sort of flower cold while spitting up petals and leaves. Advanced cases involve a deeper spread of vines through the patient's body.

Though this illness manifests in many different ways, the head doctor in charge is quick to clock that it's the Blooming Disease working its way through the resort's population. Not an especially dangerous disease. More troublesome than anything and a mess to clean up. Luckily, there are extensive notes in their files about this particular disease and how to treat it.

THE BLOOMING DISEASE ▷ A strain of hanahaki disease is running through the resort. Unlike the typical hanahaki disease that is brought on by one-sided love, this blooming variation has no single discernible cause. The nurses muse that it is perhaps a side effect of the intense pollen from the conservatory, but this is speculation.

▷ Similar to the standard hanahaki disease, the main symptom is coughing up flower petals. However, the blooming strain manifests in many different ways, and doctors have seen variations of petals and vines creeping out from every orifice. Players are welcome to get as creative as they like with how the blooming disease presents.

▷ Doctors will make one point thoroughly clear: while medications are available to ease discomfort, the cure for this subset of hanahaki disease is sex. Only fucking another person will completely eradicate the disease. If the disease is not treated it will progress until the afflicted patient has turned into a monstrous pile of flora themselves.

▷ It is possible to catch the disease more than once. Having sex will cure it but some guests have caught the disease in quick succession, requiring multiple sessions of vigorous fucking. Doctors are unsure as to why some guests only catch the disease once while others are susceptible to catching it multiple times. The nurses gossip about how they think it's those guests particularly desperate for love that are prone to re-catching it, but again — speculation.

ALL HANDS ON DECK ▷ Without enough manpower in the clinic to meet demand, guests that have experience in the medical field have been asked to volunteer their time to help treat those suffering with the illness. Those kind enough to join in the effort to mitigate the disease will be given a full kit of medical supplies, which they will be allowed to keep once their stint in the clinic has finished. For the duration of their time working in the clinic they will be fully considered staff doctors and able to direct both employees and guests as they see fit.

▷ Guests that do not have medical experience but who wish to help in the clinic will also be accepted. While they will not have as much power as experienced guests assigned to the doctor role, they will be onboarded as nurses and given basic tasks. All nurses will be given scrubs which can be kept after their job has been completed. Nurses are expected to defer to doctors but can dictate to patients.

▷ All guests that assist in the clinic will be given an extra-large payout for their efforts. The head doctor in charge will be so grateful that he will be happy to grant any other small favors and gifts if asked. While something like taking one of the patient beds would be too much, he will turn a blind eye to guests who want to pocket items like scalpels and stethoscopes.

CLINIC ENERGY ▷ So many guests have piled into the clinic that private rooms are no longer available. Large rooms will be utilized as group hubs with many patient cots, while smaller rooms normally meant for one patient will be doubled up on. All guests staying in the clinic for treatment will be paired with at least one other patient due to space constraints. Private rooms will be available only for patients separated out for treatment with one of the doctors or nurses.

▷ All of the rooms in the clinic are fully stocked with condoms, lube, and sex toys. After the head doctor announces the cure for the disease, nurses will make sure every room has supplies available for patients to use. They will encourage guests to go ahead and get fucking since it's the only cure! While doctors and nurses are available to fuck as well, they are short-handed, so most patients will have to make do with other patients. To those stubborn guests who don't want to fuck for their health, staff will firmly explain that if the disease progresses they'll be reduced to nothing but a pile of vegetation.

▷ Patients with particularly bad cases of the disease will not be allowed to leave the clinic until they are cured. Patients that have only been lightly affected will be given a prescription to fuck and sent on their way, with strict instructions to return if they do not fuck and the disease progresses.

The height of the disease will hit toward the end of the month. Thanks to the hard work of the doctors and nurses in the clinic, cases will begin to decrease as the days pile on, with the majority of the affected guests treated and sent on their way by the beginning of May. Activity in the clinic will begin to decline as patients fuck it out and cure the disease, with only a handful of scattered cases heading past the first week of May.

PROMPT NOTES

▶ Arrival, The Bathroom Button: Multiple versions of arrival are possible. Characters may be flushed down the toilet or tub to wake up in several different locations across the resort.

▶ Gardens, The Flower Maze: While players are welcome to imagine whatever they like in these chests, we do ask there be some limits. Characters should not find their special awesome sword or other personal items that were taken away by the resort upon arrival, for example. Items that would generally be available within resort stores or without regains are fine.

▶ Conservatory, General: While this location is currently being influenced by sex pollen, players that do not enjoy this kink may have their character immune to its effects. This will not affect engaging in the hanahaki prompt.

▶ Conservatory, The Orchard: Players are encouraged to get creative with effects from these fruits. While we've offered a couple suggestions, any of the affiliated suit's effects are available to tap into. For example, consumption of Orangeberry, aka the Diamonds fruit, can cause any Diamond-adjacent physical effects.

▶ Broken Wing Clinic: Players are allowed to get as delicate or grotesque with the presentation of the Blooming Disease as they’d like; you can even use this as an opportunity to engage in some vine-y bondage play. From the medical perspective, feel free to envision access to any sort of equipment you’d like, so long as it makes sense within a (sexy) clinical setting.

OOC NOTES

GAME UPDATE | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS
BLANKET CW: Altered States; Aphrodisiacs; Body Horror (potential); Dubcon; Illnesses; Medical Play; NSFW Language; Paranormal; Somnophilia; Sex Pollen; Sex Toys

▶ All new characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Rank and suits are assigned upon acceptance. Your new character's suit will not manifest until they are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's April event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Current characters posting to the TDM should note they are currently in-game in the subject line.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only.
▶ If you aren't satisfied with the prompts on this TDM please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort.

▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game, the thread will not be applicable toward rewards as that character would not have a card value.
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She glares at him insinuating she can't care for a pet. ] Ignoring that!

[ Then she squints at him talking about wearing capes for special occasions. She was mostly kidding, but... ]

Fine. We'll get you a cape that makes you handsome. So picky!

[ It feels like they're running out of fun things to talk about. This is her fault for letting off that she's not the social butterfly she's supposed to be. If she's popular in a game, it's supposed to translate to real life! And maybe it does on the network, where it's easy to shove herself into whatever conversation she'd like, but outside of that...

Since it's him, her friendliest lover, she'll be more truthful than she would otherwise be. ]

I'm not an introvert. I like being around people and having friends. But here, everything's so overwhelming. All the people and sounds and stuff... [ She sighs. ] And a lot of people think I'm crazy because I'm honest about being from a video game, so...I guess my reputation's not the best? Ehehe.

[ Like he's said, people talk. Things get around. Hence her barely paying mind to getting stares. She's used to it now. That's why it's so nice to have him here. No complaints. No judgement. He spends time with her and gives her all the company she needs. And best of all? He lets her have him all to herself.

She sets the basket down so she can hold his arm and lean against him until the elevator ride's over. ]

Do you want to do that before we go back out? If it's something you want that bad, I don't mind. [ She giggles softly, looking away from him for a moment, almost bashful. ] I'm not used to having anyone around that wants to hear it. It's nice.

[ He gets a peck on the cheek over his mask. ] That's why you're the best.

That's better.

[Okay, he still won't be calling himself handsome, but it's better than cute at least!]

I understand that. This place is.... loud. Overstimulating. And I suppose the... "place" you came from was quieter than real life, I'd imagine. [Quiet is good, but being trapped in a video game is still a nightmare. He's glad she's escaped.]

I am not surprised that nobody would believe such a claim and I understand being skeptical, but it is... Unfair to label you crazy because you are honest about where you came from. If they judged you for that, then they aren't worth your time.

[Honestly, if it wasn't for his special hearings, he probably wouldn't think she's crazy but he'd be skeptical of the truth. Okay, he thinks she is crazy but for entirely different reasons. He's seen sides of her. That aside, he doesn't think she's crazy for telling the truth of her story, so she at least has one person who believes her.

He won't comment on the peck to his cheek. It's nice, of course. Monika's affectionate and he doesn't mind it like he said so long as she doesn't go overboard with it in public. Though he has the feeling he won't ever stop blushing being around her from this point onwards. His cheeks are heating up again, and her next words after the quick kiss only worsens the blush.]

I... wasn't expecting to hear that. I thought it simply a nice gesture to want to hear it, as a friend.

[Yup, as a friend. Definitely nothing more that motivates him to want that. He's definitely not imagining himself resting his head on her lap and falling asleep while she reads her works to him. Nope, that imagination would be crazy.]

I wouldn't say I want it that bad. But... if you do not mind. You have a... sweet voice, Monika, and I believe it'll enhanced your creative works if I get to hear you read them in your voice.

[Speaking of sweet voice, he considers a question in his mind. As they're leaving out of the elevator when it reached their designated floor, he decides to ask:]

Have you... Ever considered singing before?

[ Too bad. He's still cute on top of being handsome. But that'll stay inside her head this time, lest he keep whining about it. ]

Um, yeah. It's a little different in a game.

[ ...And that's all she'll say about that! ]

I know it's not something I should think about much, because it's usually the people that don't matter in the long run that think things like that, but. Just. I'm no different from everyone else, am I? Why should where I'm from be such a big deal...?

[ Meh. This is another topic she thinks she wants to squash. Talking about poetry and hearing that he likes her voice is much better. She's going to focus on that. She smiles to herself as they make their way towards her room. And, having remembered his preferences, she let up on the affection once they exited the elevator, instead busying herself with holding the basket. ]

Gosh, Soundwave. I'm kind of glad I'm covered in all this blood so you can't see how much I'm blushing, ahaha! [ What a sentence... ] It makes me really happy to hear you say things like that. Like I'm your most special friend~

[ Yeah. This is much nicer. She likes sharing the happier things about her. Parts that she knows she likes because she was able to choose to do them for herself. ]

I like singing. I taught myself the piano, too! I haven't been able to perform or anything, but one of my friends told me there are pianos around. Maybe we could go looking for one together? [ She playfully sticks her tongue out. ] As long as you're not a big meanie if I mess up~

[ There it is again, teasing him to draw attention away from how much he's got her heart going doki doki. It's what friends do! ]

You aren't any different. And it shouldn't be a big deal. You've escaped from it, and that's all that matters.

[Monika seems to not want to talk about the topic any further though, so he'll just say that much and moves on to more pleasant topic. He gives her hand a squeeze. Once they enter and have the privacy of her room, he'll return her affections, as promised.

It hits him how messed up that sentence is to hear, but it gets an amused huff out of him regardless. She's right, being covered in blood helps to cover the blush on her cheeks. .... But that can be changed with a simple gesture. He swipes a thumb on her cheek and flicks some of the blood away, revealing a bit of her flushed cheek.]

There, now you can't hide your blush anymore.

[It's actually much nicer now. That awkward atmosphere between them back at the floral exhibition is entirely erased now. The mood is light, and there's warmth and sweetness radiating out of Monika. Ah, his chest is overheating again...]

You are my most special friend. [Thanks Primus he keeps the mask on, so she can't see how much he's blushing, too. But it's true! Soundwave is willing to say that much to his friend, even when there's a whirlwind of emotions spinning inside him. Positive emotions, thankfully.]

Sure... we can look for a piano. Now I wish to hear you sing as well. And... Fine. I promise I won't criticize you. Happy?

[Fiiiine. He won't be like on their first meet and doesn't let up with the criticism. But only for her piano and singing skills! He'll still criticize her on other things!]

[ She doesn't want to touch on the topic much more, but if she did...she'd be comfortable enough to do it with him now. As understanding as he's been about it, she thinks she'd be able to without embarrassing herself too much. Maybe. ]

Ahaha. I'm really glad I tried to fake-marry you a few months ago. It's nice having someone around who gets me.

[ She says, as he then proceeds to be rude. That maneuver has her glaring, even if she's barely keeping in giggles. ]

You jerk! I bet you're blushing, because you're always blushing! But, unlike you, I'll allow you to hide it since I'm so nice~

[ For once in her life, she won't renege on a promise and tug on his mask without permission, tempting as it is. And anyway, after saying she's definitely special, she'd probably end up kissing him silly if she did. Ahh, her room feels so far all of a sudden...!

But soon, they're safely tucked away inside of it, and she can breathe a sigh of relief. She says getting stares doesn't bother her, but it does, just a bit, when she's getting stared at for being covered in blood and who knows what else. God have mercy on the poor soul that has to clean up the trail of a, uh...suspicious substance she left behind.

After setting everything down, she's immediately attached herself onto him again, wrapping her arms around him good and tight. A little treat before she has to go clean herself up...a second time. ]

I don't believe you, you know. You'll probably say something mean. [ She nuzzles against him, making a happy noise. ] But it's okay. That's just your way of being the sweet little tsundere you are.

[Nah, he's not blushing. He's not hiding anything! If she can't see it, then she has no proof that he's blushing under the mask.

Once they entered her room, Soundwave expects her to attached herself to him, and she does do exactly that. Though what she said at the end gets a light punch atop her head.... then he immediately pats and rubs her head to soothe.]

I'm not a tsundere.

[Typical tsundere response. Still, it's nice to be connected like this once again. Monika hugging him tightly and nuzzling against him. It may get some of the blood on his bodysuit, but it's fine. What's a little blood to decorate his outfit anyway.

His arms embrace Monika in return, and then he rubs his nose against hers. Now, he can be his affectionate self with Monika, which means he can finally return all the affections she's given him throughout their walk to her room. Which also means he'll tug his mask down and there it is. She can finally see the blush on his cheeks, and on top of that, a rare but small smile plastered on his face.

There's been something he's meaning to do this since they... well, got back to normal at the garden but never found a good opportunity to do so until now. And so, his lips press squarely against Monika's. A light, chaste kiss. And then another kiss. Then another. Before finally ending it with a small lick to her cheek to get his blood on him.

There, a little treat from him. As friends do, of course.]

We shouldn't be hugging too much. It'll worsen your wound.

[He then presses his head down atop her hand and gives her hair some rough ruffling, makingher hair look wilder.]

Go get yourself clean up. I'll wait for you on the bed. [Er... That brings about a number of implications. Not necessarily bad implications, but--] I wish to... rest my legs for a moment.

[Yeah, that excuse works.]

[ She lets out a little "oof!" when he rightfully conks her on the head, but that's just another show of his sweetness, isn't it? And if it was the price she had to pay to see that rare smile? Worth it. ]

I knew it. Tsundere, tsundere, tsun...

[ She's cut off by kisses, ones that she happily returns. Despite being the tired wreck she is, he's making it difficult to keep things chaste, especially once he throws in that lick. With her record for lacking self-preservation, if he hadn't mentioned the cut, ohhh the things she'd do to him then and there. Sex is better when it ends with passing out! ]

Stop worrying so much, Tsoundere! It's barely anything! [ She grumble-giggles at the hair ruffling, patting the top of her head once he's finished. ] If it gets bad, I'll go to the clinic. Jeez...

[ She'll probably have to eventually, but she'll worry about that later, probably once he's doing his equivalent of sleeping. What she has here should be sufficient for the time being. After sneakily stealing another kiss, she turns and starts heading towards the bathroom. ]

Go on. Rest your legs. [ She snickers, but that's all she'll do when it comes to that "excuse". ] If you want to come up from the parking garage, you can do that, too. There's probably enough room in here, and it'll be way quieter. Either way, get comfortable however you want.

[ Just before completely turning away, she pauses to give him a smile and adds: ] I'm really happy to have you here.

[ Her smile widens, then she's suddenly throwing his jacket back at him, winking over her shoulder before heading off to start the process of washing off her sins. So, so many sins... ]

[Soundwave catches his jacket by... Doing nothing. He lets it drapes over his head. Let him be a worrywart, geez. He can't help it when she harm herself like that even when it was in the heat of the moment. Though he has to wonder if she's alright with having a scar there? Wouldn't people know?

Ah, he can't ask her those question when she disappears into the bathroom. Soundwave pulls the jacket off his head, and quietly mutters.]

So am I, Monika. So am I.

[While she showers, Soundwave lays down on her comfy little bed, but instead of taking stock of the sins they've committed... he's just going to focus on the happy and good memories they've made today. Yes, even when his face was beaten to a pulp, even that moment created some... exciting memories that he may not be able to recreate with anyone else but her.

He does take the offer though, and eventually he silently invites himself into her suite. Despite his size and being metal, he is an ex-spy, and he's trained his footsteps to be utterly silent. And since he's not at his original size in the resort, his footsteps aren't creating ground shakes anymore.

But... Oof, this place is smaller than her first room, huh. Not only does he have to duck his head down to enter through the doorway, he'll have to keep ducking inside. Inconvenient, really, but he finds it best to just sit down on the sofa instead. Hopefully, it'll support his weight? If not, he'll just settle with sitting on the floor, right next to her bed.

His avatar remains active as he puts on his jacket back. Then, he checks his pockets. Okay, the rose is still here. And so is the shiny rock Monika's given him as a souvenier.... Hm, he'll have to hide them elsewhere. If the next time he dematerialized his avatar, these items won't dematerialized along with him. But he knows a better place to hide them than inside his pocket.

His real body... Inside his own chest compartment, of course. After delicately putting those items inside his chest compartment , he closes the door and lies in wait for Monika to finish. Now he'll just focus back on the good memories they've made today and plenty more they'll create today.]

[ Monika does her best not to take ages with cleaning up, but having to rewash her hair slows her down significantly. Patching up her cut added even more time. The job she does on that is meticulous and neat on the surface, but it's lacking in skill otherwise. She used way too much gauze and tape, but...that cut's good and covered! Nothing's getting in there!

Maybe now that it's covered, she can't keep thinking of how crazy it was to do that. How in the world is Soundwave still willing to be around her, especially after she did everything in her power to hurt him in multiple ways? Friends shouldn't do any of what they did or say any of what they did. It shouldn't have made her so happy. Most of all, can they keep calling each other friends...?

No. Happy thoughts only! Happy, friendly thoughts! Besides, if she's crazy, so is he for allowing it. Therefore, there's no need to worry!

Once she's finally done, wrapped up in a fresh, fluffy robe and hair braided up, she makes a stop past her writing desk and reading nook to grab some notebooks, about five or so. That'd give her plenty of material to choose from. Really, it's more than enough, considering each notebook is packed full of poems, random stanzas and thoughts, ideas, memories...she could keep him occupied for days with everything she's written. She just had to be willing to share it.

And boy, is he in for a shock once she enters her room and sees him there in his full metal glory--there aren't any screams at all! She merely stumbles, squeaks a little noise of surprise, then makes a face at him. How can he be so quiet at his size? She figured he hadn't taken her up on the offer because she didn't hear any loud metal footsteps. And yet! ]

Hi, jerk. [ What a greeting. She moves past him to flop onto the bed. ] You could've let me know you were here!

[ At least she's none the wiser about his secret acts of sweetness. Her notebooks are set on one of her bedside tables, then she pulls over the picnic basket she grabbed on the way in, too. She's worked up one heck of an appetite on top of being thirsty. For liquids, thank you. Not him! ]

So~ Did you do anything naughty while I was in there?

[ She snickers around a cookie. You can't fool her! He probably hugged every pillow of hers! ]

[Soundwave is aware how quiet his footsteps are, and he uses that to his advantage. Not just doing missions where stealth is required, but also just to mess with people by sneaking up on that, albeit unintentional most of the time except for that one scare he gave to Monika earlier.

Regardless if it's intention or not, it's never not amusing to see the shocked and surprised faces he typically get when nobody expected him. Props to Monika for not screaming. Honestly, he was kinda prepared for it, but he can drink in the dumb face she's making. Maybe now she knows he can probably sneak up on her like he did before, except in his big mech body, complete with a scary, big shadow looming over her. Trust that it's bound to happen in the future.

That amused look he's giving her turns into a slightly offended face when she called him a jerk, though.]

What did I do? You said I can come up here, and so I did.

[And then, he gives her a dead-eyed stare when she insinuated that he did something naughty without her looking. His real body will remain offline for now to conserve energy.]

Yes, I did. I looked through your drawers to search for your poem and- [He reaches for her pillow and hugs it around his arms, bringing it slightly up to hide half of his face.] -I hugged one of your pillows because I missed your sweet smell so much... Idiot.

[Then, he throws said pillow at her.

Okay, he absolutely didn't the first one, but he at least did actually hug her pillow at least while he was daydreaming about Monika and thinking happy thoughts.]

Of course I did not do anything naughty, stupid Monika.

[ He gets another "oof!" out of her today, with the bonus of dropping her cookie this time. Why can't he be normal?! ]

Yeah, well! You were supposed to make more noise when you did show up, so I could know you were here! Stupidwave.

[ Would he feel it if she kicked his big dumb metal head while he's offline? Eh, probably not worth adding a broken toe to her injuries. If he pulls that sneaking up in his actual body nonsense, however, she will throw a punch. Again, no self-preservation with this one.

With a grumbly noise, her pillow's carefully set back into place, then she picks her cookie back up and brushes crumbs off the sheets. Now she'll have to call housekeeping soon to clean that up! ]

Joke's on you. I don't keep any poems in here! [ She does, but in very tucked-away places. ] I'll let the pillow thing slide, though. Even if it's the naughtiest thing ever. They should put out a warning about you!

[ Pfft. If the situation were reversed, you better believe she'd have shoved her face into some pillows. Give her all of that metallic goodness! ]

Maybe I'll pick a poem that'll teach you how to show affection in a non-tsundere way. Throwing pillows at me like that when I'm injured... [ There's the tiniest, most dramatic sniffle ever. He's so meeeeean. ] Are you even as old as you say you are? You act like you're sixteen!

[ As someone who's an actual adult here, she's experienced enough to know what's childish. He's childish! ]

That is stupid. You are stupid.

[She invited him, so she should expect him to come up here! Hmph! No regret whatsoever that she drops her cookie. That's what she gets for teasing him again!]

Warning for what? Hugging a friend's pillows?

[Wow, what a crime. Then, Monika calls out his childishness, which gets him to sputter a lot. Him? Childish? She gets an indignant look for that, and he's about to throw another pillow at her... Only to stops himself because that'll just aggravate her more. Physical age does not always equal emotional maturity. Though Soundwave is mature compared to his peers, he can be a bit petty, as he so delicately proven with that pillow throw..]

I do not want to hear that from someone who made up so many childish nicknames of me.

[He'll drop the act though, and speaks a little more softly.]

Are you alright, actually? Your injury, I mean. Even if it will hear, people may see your scar...

See? See what I mean? For being a friend, you sure call me stupid a lot! Why else would I come up with these nicknames? [ Dramatic! Finger! Pointing! ] I have to keep up with you!

[ It is pretty funny, though, someone that's supposedly this old being such a brat. Maybe the idea that getting serious and unfun after getting older is a giant myth? Hmm.

Her petulance fades as she eats another cookie, mainly because his question is showing some of that genuine concern again. Stupid worrywart. Didn't she tell him not to do that?! ]

I'm fine, Soundwave. I promise. If anyone sees anything, because...you know. [ Because someone's bound to see her chest other than him. That's inevitable. ] I'll just say I had an accident while cooking. A few people know I'm trying to get better at that, so no one will question it. And if they do, I'll ignore it.

[ Enough people already think she's crazy as it is. She doesn't need to add more reasons for them to think that. ]

It's something just for us. Our secret. Okay?

[To be fair, he is serious and unfun 98% of the time. Monika is simply the only few who gets to see this side of him.

In a place like this, he's not surprise that Monika may be seeing others, too. As much as he likes to say he claims her whenever he... Well, inside her, he can't and won't actually be possessive of her. Especially when they're just... Friends.

Soundwave shuffles to sit right next to Monika, his hand resting atop the hand she isn't holding the cookie with.]

I had already assumed it'll be our secret. Not a soul shall know of this.

[Even when what they've done was in public and people had probably seen them. Primus, he hopes this doesn't spread.

Still, he won't worry about that. He's more worried about Monika. Even when she says she's fine, he's still a little worried even when what she said eases some of that worry away.

To make up for annoying her, he gives her cheek a kiss.]

I suppose I didn't like to see you hurt... Or hurting yourself.

Edited 2024-05-21 16:16 (UTC)

Good. That's how I want it to be.

[ More than wanting to appear sane to others, she is into being possessive, unlike him. Unless he tells her otherwise, she's going to keep others away from him. It doesn't matter that he's a friend. After all they've done and the opportunities he's given her to treat him as she sees fit, it's clearly what he wants, isn't it? He belongs to her.

As she finishes her cookie, her hand shifts to be the one on top, holding his. Even when she's not trying to be dominant, it sneaks out of her somehow. ]

Don't think of it as hurting myself. I was...giving you a part of me. [ She smiles. ] Now I can always be with you.

[ See how easy it is to delusion things away? So, moving on! She scoots in closer, resting her head on his shoulder. It's so nice to have someone with her in a bed that she was convinced may swallow her whole someday. Her suite was large and comfortable, but that usually made it feel emptier. With him, she thinks she has an idea of what being at home is like. ]

It's a little funny hearing this from you. Your blood takes a while to wash off, you know.

[ Hint hint. She refuses to be called out alone! ]

That is a... Romantic way to put it.[Romantic... Was that really the right word to use? It feels right to use.] I suppose it was a fair exchange. Since you've taken a part of me, as well.

[Granted, she's taken more of him than he did her, but he isn't entirely greedy to want more. Just the taste of her blood on his tongue was enough.

When she rests her head on his shoulder, he gives her head some light nuzzling with his cheek. It doesn't perceive her hand on top of his as a show of dominance albeit unintentional, but it simply feels nice to have his hand sandwiched between hers.

The call out has his cheeks red.]

I can't helped spilling so much on you... Because I guess I like seeing you covered in...

[Cough cough.]

Anyway, let's rest for a little while longer... and I'm ready to hear you read your poems, too. Then, he can set off.

[To do as much as they can with their limited time together. Before the hotel put him in limbo again.]

Romantic, huh? [ Her lips purse as she thinks on how she feels about that. ] Yeah. A special kind of romantic. For really good friends!

[ D e l u s i o n. ]

Thank you. It's nice to have someone to give me something so special. Or maybe weird is the better word? Ahahaha. [ After nudging his side playfully, she wraps one arm around his side and tugs him closer. ] Better to be weird with someone else than weird alone~

[ But, ah. Poems. A few butterflies flutter in her stomach. Her deepest thoughts, worries, hopes, dreams, and so much more were caught up in everything she's written. Can she stall a tiny bit more? Just to make sure she's ready to lay herself so bare... ]

Um. Is...there any type of poem you'd like for me to start with? Something older? Newer? Shorter or longer?

Yes, a special kind of romantic.

[What made it special compared to the normal one? Best to not have that question answered, so they can keep up the delusion.]

It is... Both weird and nice.

[Honestly, he can't even name a single individual who... gave something like blood to each other as if it's a gift to exchange. But... he's glad that he shared this weird behavior with Monika, even if was only brought to live thanks to her.

He can sense the nervousness radiating off her. But... he supposes some people would be nervous sharing their creation. He isn't sure how to ease her without pointing it out, but he gives her hand a reassuring squeeze and another nuzzle, pressing his face against her head. She smells so sweet and nice...]

What about... A poem you like the most. One you are proud you created?

Edited 2024-05-22 03:42 (UTC)

[ If anything, his silent forms of reassurance help more than any words would. What's there to fear? Hasn't he accepted her at her best and worst? Her weirdest and nicest? It's almost...romantic.

She turns her face towards his to sneak a soft kiss to his lips. The look she gives him after pulling away? Very romantic. ]

I can work with that. It might be a little hard to pick, but...I'll figure something out. Ahaha.

[ One more soft kiss, then she lets him go to lean over and grab her notebooks. She's quiet as she considers each one, flipping through page after page, pausing a few times as if she thinks she's settled on one, only to decide otherwise. Eventually, after narrowing it down to two poems, she at last has found the one.

It's not too long, but it's easy to tell she'd worked a lot on it, many words crossed out and changed. A sign of how deep the feelings ran in the stanzas. ]

This one's called "Hung Up". It's, um...well, I guess it's pretty sad. I wrote it about how it felt when I was trapped. Kind of like I was a broken clock, if that makes sense? And that maybe it... [ She squirms a little. ] Maybe it wasn't worth fighting anymore.

[ She takes a long breath. At least she's escaped that. This had been a good way to remind her of what she left behind. Now, she can share her hopelessness with someone who can understand.

Her hand takes one of his again, and she reads it to him. A silence lingers once she's done as she works through all the memories weighing down on her, then she lifts her eyes from the pages and to meet his. ]

I hope it wasn't too hard to understand. [ She smiles a little. ] Mostly, though...I hope you liked it.

[It's so... Natural at this point. For her to kiss him. For him to kiss her. Maybe because of how affectionate Monika is that he's gotten used to it, but it's... also romantic. Though his flush still remains on his cheeks, even the romantic look she gives him causes his eyes to linger on her instead of forcing his gaze to look elsewhere.

He kisses back on the second soft kiss, then it's his turn to lean his head on her shoulder after she grabs her notebooks. Not wanting to disturb her search, Soundwave silently looks down at her notebook as she flips through the pages. Any comments he has, he'll keep them in his mind. And he can certainly say she wrote a lot. Pages and pages filled with words. When she finally settles on a page, he does note the amount of crossed out words on there. Monika certainly worked hard on it, and likely so to get her feelings across to readers, he'd presumed.

A sad poem, huh. When she squirms, he lightly brushes the back of her hand with his fingertips, as a reminder that he's still here. Aside from that, he remains silent as she begins to recite her poem.

....

It was a sad poem as she said, and he feels them. What Monika must've gone through. The sense of being trap in a hopeless situation. With no way to change it herself. There's power in words; he can't sense emotions on a piece of paper like he can with a living being, but... it's funny how he can still resonates by simply reading the words strung together to elicit an emotion. Even if Monika wasn't next to him and reading her poem out loud to him, he'll likely still resonate to her words just as strongly.]

I understood it perfectly... I can feel the hopelessness... your sadness in your words, both written and in your voice. [A beat.] I... Loved it, Monika. You wrote your feelings down wonderfully.

[That's a much stronger word that like, isn't it? His gaze turns away for a moment. A moment of consideration, then he shifts slightly in his position and loosely wraps his arms around her waist in a loose hug. His eyes come back to meet with hers.]

Monika... So long as you never give up on hope and faith.... Even when there is none to be found, no directions or evidence to speak of, so long as you hold onto your faith and keep it strong, then perhaps... Maybe... One day, your dream will become reality.

[And it already happened for her. She escaped. He'd apologize for the impromptu advice, but it's still a good reminder to always have faith even in what may be a hopeless situation. It's what kept him alive for so long. Without much prompting, he gives her lips a soft kiss.]

I am glad you never truly gave up. Now, you are free.

Oh. Good! I means I did a pretty decent job, huh? Ahaha.

[ She joins him in the flushed cheeks department, smiling down at her notebook. Any other time, she'd probably go her usual route of faking confidence and acting as if this poem hadn't taken weeks of struggle to perfect. He makes it so easy to feel her true feelings with him, though. There's no need to hide behind a veneer of lies. And, well, hearing that he loved it...

Oh, that's a sudden hug. Her head pops back up with some rapid blinking. He was right about being affectionate when no one was watching, wasn't he? She's so lucky. No one else gets this but her. Her desire to cling to him, more than just physically, grows stronger.

It takes her a moment to digest his words, especially knowing it's coming from someone that's lived thousands more lifetimes than she has. After the kiss, her chest aches with a want that's softer than anything like they'd done earlier. She knows what it is. Still, she forces herself to deny it. ]

It's funny, really. I don't know why or how I got here. But...yeah. [ She shifts until she's curled up against him. Her fingers run over the words she'd just written. ] Most of my dreams have come true. I never thought I'd get to this point.

[ She's admitted what she's about to say to one other person. It's a lot harder to get out this time. ]

I told myself if all hope seemed lost, I'd...delete myself. I couldn't have gone on living like that for much longer. [ And with what she says next, she feels a level of discomfort that leaves her highly unsettled. ] All until I found the...person who gave me a reason to live...

[ And she was not in that person's arms. Was she losing sight of her goals? Was she already forgetting who she owed her continued existence to? So much for devoting herself the love of her life!

Abruptly, she closes her notebook and grabs a different one to look through. ]

Jeez. Talk about bringing the mood down! I'll find something happier. We don't need a dark cloud following us around all day!

[ Anything to get her mind off of the horrible feeling in her gut warring with the amazing one in her chest. ]

It wasn't a decent job. It was an amazing job, Monika.

[He corrects her on that gently. Soundwave may be a jerk and meanie to her, but he'll always prop his friends up if they try to be humble and downplay themselves to him. Maybe a little hypocritical since he himself is humble of his own achievements, but that's just how he is. He loved it, and he'll let her know that he thinks she's done a wonderful job writing that poem, dark as it may be.

The affection continues. As Monika curls up against him, he continues to give her some more gentle nuzzles. Though his little smile drops when Monika admits to considered deleting herself. It doesn't take a genius to understand what she meant by "delete", given the context of where she came from.]

Monika....

[He knows he should be glad now because she's escaped, she's likely happier here than wherever she was before. But to learn that Monika considered deleting herself-- those words feel like a hot knife just stabbed through his chest. There's a point where he likely wouldn't care, but Monika has since walked pass a line and entered the point where he cares about her. A lot. Thankfully she mentioned there's someone in her life who prevented her from doing something so drastic.

She's happy now, though. He should be glad that she's saved. She isn't alone anymore. But he tightens the hug regardless and brings himself closer so his front is pressed against her.]

It's nothing short of a miracle. [He may have opinions about this resort, but... He's glad that the resort found her and granted her dreams to come true.] I am glad that person helped you. I am glad that you stayed strong.

[He wonders who they were. If they ever enter this resort, he ought to thank them for saving his friend and gave her the reason to live. Though Monika seems ready to move on from the subject and he can sense discomfort from her. Likely because she shared an uncomfortable past. It's understandable that Monika wouldn't want to talk about her past any further, so he'll just ask another time instead.

He eases the embrace and pulls back, though still have his arms wrap around her, while Monika searches for a new poem to read.]

If you wish to read a happier poem... go for it.

[In the meantime, he'll just rest his head on her shoulder.]

[ "Amazing", huh? At least she can freely enjoy that happy feeling. The poem was indeed one of her darker, sadder ones, but that's what made it meaningful for her. She managed to get out her thoughts in a way that kept them from eating her up inside so much. Now, those in particular were reduced to a few nibbles here and there. With that low point put to page, she could set it aside and focus on other things.

Like the Player.

The Player lurks in her thoughts eternally, and they're doing the same now. Hearing Soundwave talk of them in such a way, she almost wants to stupidly lash out and insist he shouldn't be so calm about that person. They were competition! Doesn't he want her more? God, why is she thinking something like that? ]

Me, too.

[ After that vague reply, she swallows her bout of insanity down, flipping towards the back of the notebook in her hands. The one she's seeking is newer. Maybe, a different insane thought thinks, if he hears this one, he'll want to fight for her affection more. ]

Yeah! So! This one's called "Up". I...wrote it about you. [ Her cheek nuzzles against his head as she giggles. ] Mostly inspired by how much you love to pick me up without asking, you jerk.

[ And so, she reads again with a melodic lilt to the words. This time, it's obvious she had a lot of fun, considering how much she swarmed the page with doodles and stickers, on top of using a different color of ink for writing. All of her happier poems have been like this, if he's ever spied an oddly colorful page as she's gone through her notebooks. Whatever emotion she was feeling when she writes something, she wants to feel it again and again when she goes back to read it, and any method that helps to keep the feelings fresh is worth it. Behold, the source of where most of her money goes, outside of her Birdbucks addiction.

By the time she's done, she's looking much happier, almost like she's soaring through the sky with him. ]

I took a few liberties, obviously...you're way too serious to be a flying car. In fact, I bet you'd kick me out before anything fun could happen~

[ Shame on you, unfun version of Soundwave! ]

[Alas, while he is low key possessive, he isn't Monika-level possessive. Not to mention, he's still in denial mode about what he feels about his dear best friend, and even if he entertains the thought, he thinks she probably has better options than him anyway.]

.... Me?

[She... already has a poem written about him? Soundwave blinks rapidly. That is surprising. Sweet, but surprising. Even when her inspiration apparently came from him being a jerk apparently, it doesn't damper the sweetness of such an act. It brings warmth to his already overheating chest. Could she actually have been thinking about him that much while he was gone? To think about him enough to even write a poem about him. Could she be ~~in love----~~ No, he's overthinking things, and maybe this is simply a gift from a friend. Ah, what is this feeling in his chest. It's so hot....

His already red cheeks brightens, and as his typical when he doesn't know how to confront the feelings fluttering inside him, he resorts to a tsundere respond.]

Not my fault you look pickup-able, idiot.

[He gets to call her idiot again because she called him a jerk! Okay, some deep breathes, Monika is about to read her poem... Inhale and exhale, he calms himself down enough to start listening to her and....

and....

It's so sweet. As she reads it in her sweet, melodic tone, he's picturing himself together with Monika, her sitting inside him while he gives her a fast ride on an empty road. Even though his vehicle mode isn't capable of flight, he's imagining himself soaring through the blue sky and white clouds to grant Monika a sight no others could give. He might actually be swooned by her poem. Ah, why is he imagining things like that?! It makes the fluttering in his chest worse. Aaah, he shouldn't be feeling that way! Surely he must not have a crush on her--]

No, I won't. [That response comes rather quick.] I mean... I would give you a ride if you asked.

[Really, he would. Though he's not sure if there's any good road he could give her a ride on here, aside from the parking lot but that's a dour sight. Ultimately, regardless of how embarrassed he is knowing she made a poem about him, he could see how colorful and happier she is compared to the previous poem. Simply glancing down to her notebook, it tells as much. It's obvious how much fun she had writing this ... It would actually destroy him if there's even one doodle of him in there. She really must have fun being around him, huh. Primus, when Monika is being adorable, she's 200% more adorable.

Still, give him a moment to formulate a response to her poem. It's too sweet, he doesn't know what to say. Well, he knows but... it's difficult to get the words out without stumbling all over himself. So, after about half a minute, he turns his gaze to her and opens his mouth.]

I did not realize you wanted to be inside me that badly.

[Did... he make a dirty joke? But okay, his actual opinion.]

That was... Sweet. I've... never had anything as sweet given to me as what you've read to me. I... love it.

[Ugh, it's so hard to say the word when it's about this. But he managed it, and Monika should be proud of him for that! Honestly, sweetest thing anyone has ever done to him period. It's so sweet, he almost wishes that he could keep the poem with him...]

Edited 2024-05-23 15:34 (UTC)

[ Her eyebrows lift at his reactions, and she peeks back at him a few times. Wow, getting extra tsundere, aren't we? Very sus! But, of course, she can't resist snapping back when he goes full tsun at her. It's the worst bait ever that she bites at every time. ]

Maybe you shouldn't be so tall, then, jerk!

[ As if...he can help that...

But whatever! Despite his typical Soundwave nonsense, he does seem to like the poem. Like, a lot. A lot a lot. Loved it, even! He's not the only one whose chest is burning up. Because if he loved it, maybe he loved--

No. She shouldn't encourage that. It'll complicate things! Then again, if she complicates things, she can ultimately blame him if he gets weird and makes things worse. Tempting! But speaking of weird, that joke? Coming out of his mouth? Who knew Mister Privates was capable! The power of literature is so incredible! ]

I dunno. Sounds like you're the eager one. [ There's a barely-contained snicker. ] I didn't know you wanted to give me a ride so much!

[ She won't admit half the reason she wrote the poem was because of actually wanting to do that. In the non-sexual way, thank you. Despite all her whining, once she gets over the jolt from being handled like a toy, it's nice being in his metal arms. That feeling led to her sinking further into her imagination and picturing the idea of experiencing the ultimate freedom with him. When you can fly? You can go anywhere. There's nothing to fear when you can leave all your troubles behind on a whim.

Monika turns in his arms, shaking her head with a laugh. What a silly mech, so surprised that--shock and awe!--she hasn't stopped thinking about him! If only he knew just how much that was the case, considering how many pages in these notebooks have been increasingly devoted to him. And yes, there are a few scattered attempts at drawing him, all of them equally terrible. Good thing he doesn't know that, though. ]

I'm glad you think it's sweet. [ One finger boops his nose. ] Because even if you are a jerk...you're the sweetest jerk I know. I hope you'll keep letting me write for you.

[ She leans in, resting her forehead against his. ] It makes me a little sad to hear this is the sweetest thing you've been given, especially with how old you are. But...I'm glad I could give it to you. [ Her eyes close with a contented sigh. ] You make me happy, Soundwave. I'll keep giving you things you can love to prove that.

[ How frien--yeah, no. She can't delude herself. For now, she'll let herself feel a little love, just for a small moment, especially because she keeps receiving the gift of seeing a side of him that no one else does. ]

OOC NOTES

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cw: suicidal ideation

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