Apr 27, 2017 0:33:13 GMT -5
|
|
Apr 27, 2017 0:27:16 GMT -5
Post by aleu on Apr 27, 2017 0:27:16 GMT -5
 gargantua wasn't all destruction all the time. while death could be lurking around nearly every corner, there were still some parts of the game that allowed the players to kick back and relax. aleu heard about the soul's mate ball from random chatter of the npcs in the town of origins. it was a breathe of fresh air after the recent attacks from the spiders in the faywood forest. while aleu didn't participate in the taking down of the boss, it was still scary news for her to hear. players died. turned to pixels never to be seen again. if possible, aleu wanted to stay away from all of that. fighting and death were not listed on her things to do. of course events like the soul's mate ball were also not really her scene, the lycanthrope decided to check out the event because she had yet to make her way to the underworld. setting foot in underworld was said to send shivers up your spine, but the notion of a city always in halloween mode intrigued the girl. afterall, halloween was her favorite holiday. arriving in under city was the easy part, it was making her way to the ball that was difficult. with rosy red cheeks, she walked up to what she assumed was a nonplayer character. "e-excuse me?" the npc spun around to look at the girl. "is this the soulmate's ball?" as the name rolled off her tongue, she knew it was wrong. soul's mate, not soulmate's. she hoped the witch that stood before her still got the picture. "this is the soul's mate ball." the npc cackled in her face. "seat for one?" her cheeks deepened to a darker shade of red, but she simply said, "yes."aleu knew this was a mistake. she shouldn't follow the witch to the table. she shouldn't sit down in the fancy chair or watch the fancy flame atop the fancy candle. she should just make her way back to the town of origins and sit by herself. "you're partner will be here shortly." with another cackle, the witch skipped away. "partner?" the single word escaped through her lips, but the witch was long gone. "i thought this was just free food if i came alone..."
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2017 20:59:36 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on Apr 27, 2017 20:59:36 GMT -5
 that was you. The soul's mate ball, huh? Really transparent, but not terrible. Cat had decided that love was a neurochemical con job reinforced by society in the same vein as the fucking tooth fairy a long time ago. There was only so much time a man could spend trying to force himself to feel a way about even people he cared about before he realized that it just wasn't real, and that that meant everyone else must have been faking it the entire time too. It was a colossal waste of time and energy to fall for this shit. That didn't mean there wasn't something to profit from attending the party itself. Sure, there was free food and drink, but it'd also be easy as sin to pinpoint who the lonely suckers were. At a place like this, even if they weren't alone a guy could see them a mile away. If nothing else, it'd be useful information to tuck away for a later date if he ever needed something from any of them. Or at least, that had been his plan until he'd been intercepted by someone in a witch costume (or an actual witch npc? it was hard to tell) and caught out for trying to go alone. Well, damn it. Just when he thought he was about to get turned away, he noticed a familiar face. Potentially someone who didn't want to have to deal with him again, but familiar all the same. "I'm with her." He said quickly, pointing to ... shit, what was her name. A-E-I-O-U or something. "Really?" The witch asked with a growing grin, and Cat knew she was on to him. "Yeah, of course." He looked the witch straight in the eye with a smooth expression, before trying to wave for the girl's attention. "Hey, uh, Aleu!" There, that was it. He hoped. He didn't even notice that the witch didn't stand in his way at all when he made a move to cut around her and head the way of the familiar party, sliding into the chair without asking if it was okay. "Long time no see! Someone here with you?"aleu does your own character ever make you cringe insideMADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 28, 2017 14:39:43 GMT -5
Post by aleu on Apr 28, 2017 14:39:43 GMT -5
it was quiet. aleu watched the couples around her eating their meals and dancing on the dance floor, and here she was sitting by herself. it was uncomfortable. sometimes she wondered why she ever tried to do anything at all. the sudden call of her name distracted the girl from her pity party. the voice she didn't recognize, but when she turned her eyes up, she knew that red head of hair. even though she'd only met the boy on one occasion, aleu didn't forgive his name. catharsis. the lycanthrope also didn't forget what he'd done that day, but she didn't want to dwell on that now...or ever again for that matter. "hi...cat." even though she was the one who said the nickname, she still felt embarrassed as it left her lips. she didn't want to struggle saying his name and mispronouncing it would have been even more embarrassing. or so she thought. she didn't know. human interaction wasn't her best trait. the girl was almost upset that her 'partner' wasn't a complete stranger. maybe then she could have been a bit more normal. aleu never knew how to interact with people who she sorta kinda knew but sorta kinda didn't know. "yeah, i'm here alone. i was told i was waiting for a partner...is that you?" if she was wrong, this could only go that much worse.
|
|
|
May 3, 2017 18:14:34 GMT -5
|
|
Apr 29, 2017 11:53:16 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on Apr 29, 2017 11:53:16 GMT -5
that was you. Well, as unsure as she seemed, she wasn't panicking or telling him to leave. That was a start to at least get him safely through the door. Besides, he realized, it was possible she was just always this way; timid and uncertain. Catharsis relaxed in his chair, grinning at the shortening of the name. It really seemed to be the go-to for people. "Are we down to pet names already?" He teased, not seeing any reason not to now that he'd been allowed in. He rolled a half fist in front of his mouth, feigning a thoughtful attempt to come up with one for Aleu. Before he could even force any weak and half-hearted attempt, Aleu made the mistake of asking him if he was her partner. As if she actually still believed in his ability to tell the truth. For a moment he stared at her, eyes shining, before his grin turned almost sharp. "Of course. Were you hoping for someone else?" This was too fun. He didn't look away from Aleu, even as he wanted to glance around and people watch, or even just see if there was anything he could take from the bar before he got himself kicked out. He'd rather see how far he could push before Aleu set the boundary. It was better to milk fun while it lasted then let it pass you by. "Is the food any good?" aleu MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
|
|
May 3, 2017 18:06:54 GMT -5
Post by aleu on May 3, 2017 18:06:54 GMT -5
the girl's face flushed at the mention of pet names. that hadn't been her intention at all, but it was too late to correct her mistake. "i'm sorry! should i not have called you that?" she hoped she didn't offend him with the shortening of his name, but he seemed more amused than distraught. the next time she said his name, she'd make sure to say his full name. it'd be too embarrassing for that all over again. her blush never went away as their conversation continued on. aleu was never good at reading people, she couldn't tell he if was messing with her or being genuine. "i wasn't sure who was coming. i wasn't really expecting someone i knew with as many people as there are in this game."his eyes never left her, but the lycanthrope wasn't good at holding eye contact. she turned her eyes down towards the candle flames flickering on the table. "i haven't tried it yet." she pulled her eyes from the dancing fire to peek back up at his face. "i was waiting for my partner to show up... should we order now?"
|
|
|
|
|
May 3, 2017 18:26:00 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on May 3, 2017 18:26:00 GMT -5
that was you. God, she was too easy. Slipping under her skin was like diving into a pool, easy as could be. It occurred, briefly, to Catharsis that he wasn't sure how old she was. It could just be that she hadn't grown into a thicker skin yet, but that didn't make it any less fun. Still, he knew she was being pushed to her limit a bit too early. Best to ease back a little, see if he could make her more comfortable. See if he could get her guard down just as easily. He eased his smile to something a bit softer around the edges, leaning back in his chair. "No, I don't mind actually. You aren't the only one Catharsis is difficult for." He laughed softly, but didn't lean forward, making a point of giving her her space. "If you know what you want, I don't see a reason to wait." His voice was softer than usual, actually effort vested into it. He hadn't actually looked himself, yet, unaware if there was a menu or something else. aleu MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
May 5, 2017 18:13:04 GMT -5
|
|
May 5, 2017 18:10:13 GMT -5
Post by aleu on May 5, 2017 18:10:13 GMT -5
as the other's smile changed, aleu decided that he was being genuine. his words were kind and she had no reason to believe he was being anything other than nice. nonetheless, she was still uncomfortable with his presence. she'd never been to dinner with a boy, or anyone for that matter. it wasn't like this was a date by any means, but the setting wasn't ideal to her for a one on one chit chat. the candles, the music, the fancy food. it all put her on edge. she'd try to be as...normal...as possible. aleu didn't want to make him uncomfortable or turn the situation weirder than it already was. to her anyways. the corners of her mouth turn upward in a small smile. "thank you, catharsis." the name felt weird coming out of her mouth, but calling him by that nickname would only make her feel more awkward. was it weird to thank someone for something like that? the girl didn't even know, but she did know that the more she dwelled on it, the weirder she'd feel. it was best just to move on. aleu hadn't managed to review the menu, too busy lost in thought while waiting for someone to show up. as her eyes searched the table, they landed on a single page that listed a variety of foods. she wasn't sure what to order or what was even good. scanning to the bottom of the page, her eyes landed on the dessert section. "do you mind if i just order the chocolate cake? since we don't actually need food to survive here." she had no clue why she was asking permission when it was all free, but the words had already left her mouth. "would you like to see the menu?" her eyes met his for a brief moment as she held out the menu to him, but she turned away quickly and looked down at the table.
|
|
|
|
|
May 7, 2017 13:39:44 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on May 7, 2017 13:39:44 GMT -5
that was you. The moment she asked permission to order desert, Catharsis stared blankly at Aleu. It took everything for the kind facade not to unravel, and he laughed softly, tilting his head and pretending only to tease her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were one of those kids who couldn't eat anything without their parent's signed permission." He chuckled softly, "Yeah, of course you can eat whatever you want to here. Or not eat at all, if you'd rather."He hadn't really kept up any kind of eating schedule, himself. He knew there were people who did, who said it kept them feeling human. He hadn't noticed any real difference, and would rather keep the money. He rested his chin on an open palm, elbow rudely resting on the tablecloth while he took the menu from the lycanthrope and flicked it open with a finger. He let the same finger trail down the menu quickly while he skimmed, before he closed it shut and flicked it back towards her. "No. You know, I'll just have what you're having. That sounds good."Here, he'd probably stand out like a sore thumb if he didn't eat something. It was easy to deflect attention elsewhere, but it'd be hard for that to slide here. aleu MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
May 10, 2017 23:48:27 GMT -5
|
|
May 10, 2017 23:48:12 GMT -5
Post by aleu on May 10, 2017 23:48:12 GMT -5
One embarrassment after the other, Aleu slid the menu away from her as he flicked it towards her. He probably thought she was a child. She looked it. She acted it. She couldn't help it. The girl had always been this way, no matter how much she yearned to change. She depended to heavily on the kindness of others, too scared to act alone. The cackling witch from before sauntered up to the table, a grin stretching across her face, asking for their order. Aleu looked to her companion for only a moment, almost as if she was waiting for him to order for her, but she quickly turned her face back to the waitress. She opened the menu and slid her finger down the plastic page, coming to a stop on the dessert section. "Could I order the chocolate cake, please?" She glanced to Catharsis once more, before coming back to focus on the witch. "He'll have the same thing, as well."
|
|
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 17:23:24 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on May 11, 2017 17:23:24 GMT -5
that was you. Okay, it was becoming clear he couldn't tease this one at all. Obviously, getting under her skin was no feat at all but just the everyday occurrence and interaction. That was no fun. Catharsis' expression went impassive as he watched the girl hesitate, deciding against speaking for once to see what she would do. Of course, if she really needed to, he'd be fine with ordering for them; it did seem for a moment to be what she wanted him to do. Or perhaps what she'd expected from him. When he didn't, she seemed perfectly capable of doing the ordering, even going so far as to order for him. He didn't mind, eyes flickering with some light. He flashed a smile at the witch, watching her leave. He turned his eyes back to Aleu, but wasn't really sure what to say to her while they waited for the food to arrive. "Can I ask what you did before you got, well, here?" He asked finally, not sure what else to say. Most people liked talking about themselves, but he wasn't sure if that applied to Aleu. Sooner than he would have guessed, the plates were set down in front of him. Then he remembered that this was a game, and everything probably could have been safely prepared in advance. MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 17:54:08 GMT -5
Post by aleu on May 11, 2017 17:54:08 GMT -5
the silence after ordering was awkward, but she preferred it. if she didn't have to talk, she couldn't do anything more to embarrass herself. aleu wished she was more useful, could do something to make the air around them more comfortable, but here she was. sitting here, twisting the ends of her hair around her finger. the lycanthrope wasn't really expecting the question the other asked. was that something people talked about? their lives before they got trapped in the game? "i uh...i had just started going to college." she focused on the tablecloth as she answered the question. the girl left it at that, not going any further. by now, she'd failed her courses. there's no way 'getting trapped in a video game where you could die at any second' would fly for an excuse for not showing up for classes or turning in homework. all she'd wanted was a break from life. now this was life. "what did you do?" it was lame, but she turned the question around on him; it was something to keep the conversation going. the cake arrived, and it was instant relief to the girl. now she'd have something to keep both her mouth and her hands occupied. without even a glance at catharsis, she picked up her fork and cut into the tip of her cake. the realism of everything in the game made aleu wonder if this even was a game. she put the fork in her mouth, the taste of chocolate overwhelming her senses.
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 18:39:06 GMT -5
|
|
May 11, 2017 18:36:29 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on May 11, 2017 18:36:29 GMT -5
that was you. Cat noticed that she seemed more comfortable in the quiet. It'd check out; nerds generally were that way, and they were in a damn video game, so it did make sense. He'd heard of - and, now, met - enough players who got involved in the MMO just to solo through the thing, too socially awkward to interact even with people who cared about the same kind of things as they did. If she was a student, well, that made sense too. She seemed like the nose in a book kind of student, and for the first time Cat wondered if she'd ever been to a party like this. Personally, he hated them. That was to say, he had enough personal experience with them to hate them. He flashed a small smile, seeing no reason to lie to a girl who hated to talk about herself, let alone others. "I was a paramedic." He said before taking a bite of the cake. The flavor was good, surprisingly so, and Catharsis blinked hard while he tried to consider the science involved in simulating that exact level of taste. He discarded the thought just as quickly, waiting until Aleu was done to stand and offer her a hand. "You might as well dance at least once, just to be able to say you did."MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 19:24:02 GMT -5
|
|
May 11, 2017 19:23:36 GMT -5
Post by aleu on May 11, 2017 19:23:36 GMT -5
her eyes widen as she heard him say he was a paramedic. what was a paramedic doing playing a game like this? unlike her, he must be missed in the real world. while he was away saving people, she spent her time hid away in her room switching between playing games and doing homework. the only thing to notice her absence was roll call. the chocolate cake was delicious. even more so than cake she'd had outside of the game. the taste, and even the texture, was so real, the girl couldn't believe that she wasn't eating real chocolate cake. her eyes burned as she felt tears trying to form. it was silly to cry, but she wanted to go home. she held her tears back as she finished off the rest of the dessert. with his hand held out to her, he offered her a dance. usually, the girl would be quick to deny a request like that one. she wasn't one for dancing, especially when it involved another person. just this once. she took his offered hand and gave him a small smile as she stood. his hand against hers felt warm--safe. "thank you."
|
|
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 23:43:16 GMT -5
Post by catharsis on May 11, 2017 23:43:16 GMT -5
that was you. He had half expected her to say no, but it seemed as though he'd said just enough to convince her to agree. She even thanked him. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but he made a point of not dwelling on it. It was easy enough to lead her to the dance floor, weaving through the small crowd of players and npc's before he turned to face her again, glancing down at her. Her nervousness was so strange to him; it was unlikely anyone would remember anything that happened that night. He assumed - and perhaps he shouldn't have - that she didn't know the first thing about dancing. Still, it'd be embarrassing to have the girl just flee the scene on him, so he was gentle and wordless in his hints and leading before the actual dance began. He'd resented the regimen of dancing lessons growing up, but it seemed like it actually might be handy for at least the third time in his life. Who knew? Following the one dance he'd asked for, though, he'd release her or perhaps just flat out abandon her, depending on perspective. After all, he'd come to the ball with a different purpose in mind than giving the friendly face a nice time. MADE BY ★MEULK
|
|
|
