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neutron-stars-collision · 3 years

Text

The Art of Inversion

Neil x Reader

Epilogue - The Look of Love

Masterlist; Chapter 31

Summary: Of dogs, proposals and other chaotic adventures. The end.

Warnings: Lethal doses of fluff; some hinted R-rated fun times; swearing.

Author's Notes: Well... this is it. The last chapter of the probably too long book that took me over a year to finish. It's been quite a journey and I'm grateful I took it and was brave enough to publish my work for the very first time.

I'm going to miss them, I know that for sure, so not saying no to some one-shots in near future... But for now, I hope you'll enjoy this last chapter. It's nothing too complex but I thought they needed closure so here it is.

Thank you to everyone who stayed from the beginning, to those who joined in between and those that stayed with me until the very end. Without you, your support, messages and existence I probably wouldn't have finished.

And thank you, Shet, for keeping up with my ramblings, weird plot bunnies, teasers at ungodly hours and just being there for me.

Enjoy the last hurrah (or something). And let me know what you think?

Life still sometimes felt unreal. Or, rather, the past year and a bit did. Because if years ago someone would describe the reality to the teenage version of you, she would laugh in their face. Or scoff and call it a pretty fairy tale. Nothing more, nothing less. Only, it wasn’t.

You parked the black Infiniti on your private spot in the courtyard and quickly crossed the distance to the building. Without thinking, you keyed in the code and pushed the suitcase through the door. Who knew business trips (missions) in Canada required so much stuff? With silent annoyance, you fished out the apartment keys from the overfilled messenger bag and waited for the elevator to arrive. There was no time to think through the short journey up or when opening the door to apartment no 4.

As soon as the lock clicked and the hinges creaked, you heard the unmistakable clatter of the dog’s paws on the wooden floors. You grinned, familiar reflexes helping you in lowering the bags and closing the door just in time as the black furball skidded around the corner into the hallway.

“Hello darling,” you cooed, kneeling to receive the impact from a comfortable position.

As the Labrador collided with you, he sat down and welcomed your embrace with an extensive dose of licking and wet nose. In return, you gave it a peck on the head and a few pats, smoothing down the fur and whispering sweet nothings.

Niki had entered your small family nearly four months ago, but both you and Neil knew that he belonged there.

And no, Niki wasn’t his full name. Nikola Tesla was. Named by Neil, naturally.

You bestowed a final quantity of pecks, kisses and hugs upon the dog and glanced at the cupboard below the hallway mirror. The notepad was still there, now filled with your and Neil’s writing. The pages majorly consisted of shopping lists, reminders, to-do notes and short letters to each other left in haste. The latest entry was made with Neil’s elegant handwriting:

‘Welcome home. There’s a gift for you in the living room. Text me when you arrive. Yours, N.

P.S. Last night, Nikola started munching on the copy of the Bible again. Beginning to think we should’ve named him Lucifer. Or Azazel’

You snickered, mind sending silent prayers to whoever decided to put Neil in your path. And make him fall in love with you. Somehow. As if on cue, the dog nudged your knee with his nose, making you drop the notepad and eye him warily:

“Dad says you’re the devil’s incarnate” Niki’s eyes lit up at the mention of Neil, tail wagging happily, “But I think he just hasn’t fed you well enough,” you added with a shrug and bent down to scratch him behind the ear.

Then the curiosity about said gift won. With purpose, you marched into the living room, eyes skimming over the usual mess of the space, cluttered with your books, albums, and everything else that you found the need for. Because neither of you was a lover of tidiness. You would rather maintain a manageable state of disarray in the apartment. And it worked. Even if sometimes it was particularly tricky to find whatever was necessary.

As your gaze fell on the table, you grinned. The enormous bouquet of white roses was certainly surprising yet more than welcome. The attached note was simple:

‘From your boys, who missed you greatly. Love xx’

It was gestures like those that made it impossible to have any regrets about the decisions you had made nearly a year ago. As you took out the phone to send the promised text to Neil, your heart flushed with warmth upon the sight of the home screen. A photo he sent you a couple of days ago – him and Niki sprawled out on the floor, smiling up at the phone camera. Neil had the halo of blonde hair around his head, Niki was in what you called the Batman pose – black triangle-shaped ears splayed on the floor over his head. The moment you received the image, you knew where its place would be.

“I’m back. Do you have any lunch plans?” you quickly typed the text and sat down on the sofa with a groan.

The unpacking and everything else could wait. At least a couple of hours longer.

When your phone beeped less than a minute later, you smiled. It seemed that old habits did indeed die hard, for Neil still replied to your messages with the speed of light. No matter whether he was in the meeting, lecturing recruits or otherwise busy with work, he always texted you back immediately. It was something you often teased him about while being equally charmed by the habit.

“You’re my lunch plans ;)” the grin only got brighter when you read the response, cheeks flushing pink at the influx of thoughts and memories.

Flirting never got old. Neither did everything it would bring you, the endless nights and tender afternoons. Or energetic mornings, placing blush on your cheeks and a sparkle in your eyes.

“That sounds… intriguing” after a second thought, you added 😏and hit send.

The rush of adrenaline could only be blamed on jet lag. And love.

“And so it should. Fave spot in an hour?”

Favourite spot meant the café you had met at. It became a regularly frequented destination after the return from Trondheim, both due to the overwhelming feeling of nostalgia and gratitude. But also because of the perfectly served coffee.

You glanced at the watch, noting the time and distance you’d need to cover. Manageable. A tiny squeak from below your eye line drew the attention before you could text him back. The dark amber eyes, looking at you pleadingly. What would lunch be without the youngest family member, huh?

“Perfect. I’ll bring Niki” you made a face at the dog and got up.

No time to waste.

***

The square was busy during lunchtime, flooded with white collars and black heels. The corporation chatter welcomed you from every corner as you led Niki to the table on the outskirts. The same one, naturally. With the force of habit, your eyes wandered over the scene, taking in the busy waiters, stressed clients and their business meetings taking place around the tables.

Every time you sat down in the café, memories were hard to control. It was always a similar variety of images and sensations. The grey of Neil’s suit that first day, the tone of his voice, the warmth of his hand, the blue of his eyes. Was it ever avoidable? Doubtful. Even the suggestion seemed like a joke because if Neil had to be described by one word, it would be incredible. And you should never turn your back on what seems too good to be true. Or so a dear friend told you.

Suddenly Niki leapt up, and the leash stretched, yanking your chair to the right by a centimetre. Before you could look up to acknowledge the cause, a familiar voice rang out over your head:

“What’s a beautiful woman like you doing around these parts?” Neil drawled out the question with a playful tint to the vowels.

A grin invited itself onto your face as you glanced up, effortlessly meeting the blue of his eyes. The desire to roll your eyes was still there yet not as strong. After all, the cheesy pick-up lines were easy to get used to. The lips curled into a soft smile, one hand reaching out to greet the dog, the other placed on the back of your chair. The hair tousled by the wind added a little bit more to the overall charm. He was infuriatingly handsome.

“Waiting for an idiot of a boyfriend, I’ve found myself,” you shrugged, scanning him from head to toe in an attempt to find a flaw.

That was a tricky job when faced with Neil dressed up in black leather and a dark green jumper. He waited for your appreciative nod before letting his fingers ghost up the curve of your neck. The sigh was unnecessary yet unavoidable.

“He’s a lucky man” Neil cupped your cheek and lowered down the voice to a whisper.

That meant the silly opening was over, and you have moved on to the sincere conversation. The profound ground, the foundation of the relationship itself. Slipping back into the role felt like a true homecoming. As if the act of coming back to the apartment was the prologue for the quintessence of your life. You leaned into his touch and dropped down the guard, allowing the feelings to paint across your features.

“And I’m a lucky woman,” you added, the smile softening as the simple honesty appeared on the tip of your tongue, “I’ve missed you” encircling your hand around his wrist, you pulled Neil down to get closer.

He yielded without a fight, leaning down to breach the space. Neither of you cared about the public, being used to curious and offended stares as you indulged in PDA on the streets of London and elsewhere. It seemed that along with the increase of confidence in your feelings for one another, you lost the ability to be concerned by what others think. Unless the other in question was Neil. Then it mattered a lot.

When he was this close, faces separated by mere inches, the flock of butterflies never failed to wake up, making your heart speed up and happiness soar. Because he was there, yours and within reach. And that was all it took to close the gap, enveloping his mouth in a hungry kiss. Soft lips, responding to yours in an instant, the familiar taste waking up the desire. Following the instincts, you buried your fingers in his hair, angling his head for better access. Neil let out a muffled sigh and opened his mouth under your prying tongue. That was your method of proving everything you ever told him, every sentiment and confession confirmed by the tender caress and the ravenous kiss. And then he responded in kind, teeth catching your lower lip and pulling at it softly to avoid bruises yet enough to make you want more. But it had to wait for the privacy of your bedroom.

When you broke apart with the heavy breaths punctuating the silence, Neil placed a kiss on your forehead and murmured:

“Quite right,” he nudged your nose with his, a happy glimmer in his eyes shadowed with uncontainable affection, “Had no one to kiss me like this for three weeks” his lips curled into a smirk as he straightened and sat down in the opposite chair.

In a flash, Niki was by his side, pushing his head into Neil’s lap and begging for attention. You grinned at the sight, feeling nothing but content fill every space in your heart. And then, just for the sake of it, you glared at Neil across the table:

“I sure hope so, sunshine” arching one eyebrow, you flipped the menu open with a flourish.

Another habit learned from the man in question.

There was hardly any reason to browse the coffee options since as soon as the waitress approached your table (and petted the dog), Neil ordered for you. You stopped putting up the fight about it and instead accepted the fate with an exasperated sigh and a fond eye roll. Because he always chose right and exerted the right to be smug about it.

It was a good half hour later, with many catch up conversations in between the jokes and shameful staring, that Neil took hold of your hand lying on the table and spoke up:

“Yesterday, I was giving a talk to the new recruits” he eyed you steadily, fingers running over your knuckles reassuringly.

Both you and Neil have been deployed to train the agents between missions following Stalsk. In his case, it meant lectures about physics or using years of experience to lead the rookies through more tricky operations from the past. Every single of those talks also meant another thing…

“How was it? Ladies and gents fawning over you as usual?” batting your eyelashes, you looked up at him flirtatiously in the best imitation of the looks you have seen him receive.

And it was always like this. Conspicuous ogling, amorous smiles, and excited whispers. More than once, you have heard the younger agents gossip about Neil as you passed them in the corridor. Sometimes the conversations died the moment you have been spotted. Others grew louder as if to challenge you and show that your position as the girlfriend of the most desired man in Tenet should not be taken for granted.

And it was not, permanent anxiety could not allow you that kind of luxury.

“... well yeah, but-” your stream of thoughts was interrupted by Neil, his face nothing but outrage as if you have been simplifying things, and he would not have it.

But it was too late, you had been triggered. A little, nothing too dramatic.

A scoff, a dismissive wave of a hand and off you went into a tirade you had long prepared:

“They’re so predictable. You can practically see their eyes lit up once they see you” you threw Neil another hungry look, taking note of the widened eyes and shock in his face “Wonder how many have gotten sexuality crisis because of those eyes and golden locks” taking the hand out of his hold to brush away the hair from his forehead and skim your fingers across his temples. If only because you could.

But Neil was having none of that pretence. He grabbed your wrist in one quick motion, pinning your hand to the table with an exasperated sigh:

“Very funny” the glare you received was everything but funny; you opened your mouth to protest but never got that far “What I wanted to say before you so rudely interrupted me is that afterwards, as I was packing my stuff, I could hear Ives pointedly tell them that I’m off the books so, quote, don’t fucking bother” Neil’s gaze had you frozen with the mind trying to process what he said.

It might’ve been obvious. But not to you. Not to someone who still found reasons to doubt their luck.

“Oh,” you let out a long exhale, never quite realising when Neil’s eyes softened or when your fingers laced up once more.

You stared at your hands resting on the table, head catching up with the reality as it often had to. Because it was true, it was happening. Neil was yours, exclusively. It was not a daydream or wishful thinking.

Being well accustomed to your moments of ‘silliness’ as he called it, Neil stayed quiet, watching you closely until he knew that it was safe to push on with the intended meaning:

“He’s right, obviously because no one could even dare compare with you” as his words broke the silence, you looked up and met his gaze.

Nothing but love and fondness. The blue pupils, sparkling with happiness and conviction, thumb running over your knuckles in unconscious motions. Yet there was one more question you had to ask:

“You sure about that?” the attempt at an intense glare got blown by Niki pushing his nose into your lap.

Obediently you scratched him under the chin, taking pleasure in the sensation of the short hairs under your fingernails and the weight of his head on your lap. You did not need that escape for long. Neil squeezed your hand once to draw attention and smiled when you glanced up at him:

“Yes. There’s only one person I’m planning to marry, and that is you” letting go, he pointed at you with unnecessary quirkiness and quickly downed the coffee before you could shake off the gesture.

There it was again, that subtle and smooth mention of marriage. Reminding you that Neil wanted it and had not abandoned the idea, deeming you inadequate wife material. Your pulse picked up as blood rushed into your ears. It was always like this. A mere remark had the potential to resolve you into a blushing, wide-eyed mess incapable of eloquent speech. Why? Because it was too good to be true. Simple.

With panic gaining strength, your eyes were drawn to the silver charms bracelet on Neil’s wrist. It was a gift from you for his birthday, the first one you celebrated together. You have chosen the charms to signify the things you loved about him and the cherished memories, hoping to add to the collection as time went on. So far, the pendants included the Norwegian flag (Oslo was hardly forgettable), a Labrador (newest addition), stars (you know, physics and… shit), the infinity symbol (aren’t we stuck in a time loop?) and, soppiest of all, a daffodil (wisdom, but also, you’re the one). Until the moment you presented the gift to him, you worried Neil would never wear it.

But he did. He only took it off for missions, offended you could think he would not want it. Apparently, it was the best present he had ever received.

Now your silence lasted too long for the next thing you felt was a gentle touch, fingers tipping your chin so you would have to meet the intense gaze. There was nowhere to hide. Blue eyes searched yours for answers, and then Neil found what he needed. He cupped your cheek once more and sat up straighter:

“I couldn’t care less about everyone else, and deep down, you know it” it was the quiet confidence in his voice that made the breath catch in your throat, “Actually, I was thinking, if you’d marry me, we could-” it was also why at first you missed what he said.

And then exhaled as your conscience registered the words. It was not exactly a question. But it was an assumption. An indirect query. What?

“… did you just propose?” cutting through his intended sentence, you dropped the spoon with a clink.

It fell off the saucer, dripping coffee over the wooden surface. But that was the least of your concerns. Fearing to do as much as breathe out, you waited for Neil to wake up from the confusion. He blinked twice and then eyed you tentatively:

“… maybe” another second of cautious silence before he followed it with a hurried explanation, “I mean, I wanted to for a while, but-”

You did not need to hear it. Not really. And there was nothing to debate. You barely registered the movement underneath the table as Niki clambered up to seek more attention. Bad timing.

“Yes,” you whispered the word with eyes closed.

Like one utters the birthday wish when blowing out the candles. Like a silent prayer by the altar. When you opened your eyes again, Neil was staring at you with slight disorientation written over his face:

“What?” his eyebrows drew together as they did whenever he was at a loss.

It was the sudden increase of happiness that made you keen to tease him. You eyed the remains of beverage in your cup and then looked up at him sternly:

“I said yes. Unless you’re taking it back, in which case I’ll slap you and pour that coffee on your head” in support of the threat, you raised the cup and tipped it experimentally.

A hint of a smile upon Neil’s lips acted like a trigger. You grinned, euphoric giggles rising in your throat and tinting the tongue. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Niki stare at you both with a blank gaze. Sure as hell, parents were acting weird. Not that, usually, they were normal, though.

Neil tapped your hand once, a familiar gesture proceeding something profound and important. You looked up in time to see him observe you with unhidden admiration. As if he did not believe you were real.

“Christ, I love you,” Neil whispered his confession with eyes shining brightly and a dazed smile on his face.

For reasons hard to comprehend, the moment felt monumental. Because this was it. It happened in a strange yet wonderful way. You effortlessly mirrored his smile and placed the cup back on the saucer:

“… I hope so” a tiny shrug to hide the extent of happiness coursing through your veins “It would be a terrible loss of a perfectly good coffee” you sensed more than saw Neil shift in the chair; instincts telling you what it could mean “Don’t you dare” extending a hand in the universal signal for ‘stop whatever the fuck you’re doing’ and glaring at him hard.

In the quiet of your mind, you could see it. Neil kneeling right there in the café, causing fatal damage to your sanity. People rushing to congratulate you. Photos being taken. Niki jumping up in the excitement of what he did not even understand. Worst nightmare.

When you looked up at him, Neil was quietly laughing at the horror visible in your face. He could read you like a book by now. And somehow, it was not scary. Breaching the dramatic impasse, Neil reached out for your hand lying on the table and sent you another soft smile:

“I’ll do it properly back in the apartment, and then we’ll celebrate...” the sparks in his eyes promised more than words ever could.

The only thing left was to do was to blush and- Again, what?

You let out another long exhale to ground the mind and sputtered:

“Wait... does that- does that mean you’ve got the ring and all?” your hands flapped around wildly, attracting your dog, who chose the moment to try jump up to the table.

At the last moment, before Niki collided with the table leg, Neil snatched him away and nodded energetically:

“Yeah,” running his fingers over your knuckles and the ring from Norway you never took off, “As I said, I thought about proposing for the last few months” his mouth curled into a crooked grin as he relived a particular memory, “Remember that day when you came back from Italy? And we spent the afternoon in bed?” the look Neil gave you was as far from PG13 as you could imagine.

But of course, you remembered. Two weeks in northern Italy, discovering a weapon’s dealer ploy by the Lake Como. And then home, coming back to find Neil cooking dinner. Only you never got to eat it that day.

“How could I forget” biting into your lip to prevent idiotic smiles, you whispered the answer.

Neil raised your hand to his lips and kissed it, never once breaking the eye contact:

“Well, that was one of the moments when I thought about it. You looked so beautiful, completely spent and utterly mine” another squeeze of palm and a response to what must have been a terribly stunned look in your eyes, “I remembered what you told me the icebreaker. So, despite knowing that nothing was going to change, I waited for the right moment. Exactly how you wanted”

A shrug. Because it was all so simple. And maybe it was.

You made sure he could see the whole spectrum of emotions in your eyes as you murmured:

“Neil… take me home,”

***

By the time you got home and dealt with the mess left there, you nearly forgot about what happened. Or that was about to happen. The specifics were even more complex to determine. You went about your tasks as always: wheel the suitcase to the closet, deposit the dirty clothes in the laundry bin and change into joggers. Because the consensus seemed to be that you would spend the rest of the day in. Celebrating. Which meant… fun. You allowed yourself one silly grin in the bathroom mirror before exiting into the hall. From the kitchen, you could hear the unmistakable sounds of Neil preparing Niki’s food.

The soft voice he used when talking to the dog was a fascinating discovery. The first time you heard it, you only managed to calm down enough to finish the work Zoom call and then promptly crossed the distance to snog Neil for around five minutes.

Now, as you quietly tiptoed into the living space, he had just placed Niki’s bowl on the designated spot by the wall and watched with a smile as the Labrador dug into the food with the speed of lightning. You enjoyed observing him in those moments of silence and stagnation. Whether bowed down over the complex notes and theorems or watching the dog snoring on the blanket, Neil seemed to you a shining beacon of hope. A home in the form of a person who always made you feel safe and grounded.

Too lost in the thoughts (and admiration), you never quite caught the moment when the man in question turned to you. Or when he crossed the space. The wake-up call was a gentle touch on your shoulder, making you look up into his eyes with a start:

“Think we were supposed to finish something…” Neil glanced at the red velvet box he produced out of somewhere with a confident smile on his face.

Oh. Shaking yourself awake, you mirrored his expression before leaning in to place a kiss on his temple.

“Right, yeah. Sorry” your face warmed up a notch as you felt the familiar surge of butterflies in your stomach.

Inexplicable tension filled the moment as Neil nodded, squeezed your hand once and started lowering down to kneel on the hardwood floors. Of course.

“You don’t have to do it with such a-”

Your protest got cut off at the end with a confused stare and a simple question:

“What?” Neil was now resting on one knee in what you always considered as the formal engagement pose.

While you were standing in front of him wearing nothing more elegant than a pair of old stained joggers and his t-shirt you stole months before. That realisation was the main driving force behind your frown and the one-worded response you had for him:

“Pomp,” popping the p with overt nonchalance, you eyed him sharply.

You knew Neil was set off from the second you saw the familiar sparks in his eyes lit up. No doubt you were in for a one in a million proposal there. A third one, in fact.

“Darling, love of my life-” the nicknames rolled off his tongue with ease coupled up with the extravagant way in which he opened the box.

An exasperated sigh there, bored shuffle here. And cutting in before Neil could make it somehow even worse:

“That’s what I meant” you frowned at the scene, pose hiding the feelings flowing through your body.

Nearly there. Because despite the banter and the desire to make this as lighthearted as you could, the importance was undeniable. With wonder, your gaze skimmed over Neil, his sparkling blue eyes, and a soft smile, kneeling at your feet. You took a deep breath.

“- will you marry me?” he finished the question with a slight tremor in his voice.

Yes. There was no other answer. There could not be.

The grin got out before words did, making you both exhale with audible relief. And then, perfectly choosing the moment to step in, Niki skidded down the length of the floor and collided with Neil. Face licks were the top priority there, seeing as dad found himself in the dog’s territory. Bursting out into carefree giggles, you could only utter one word in response:

“Obviously,” and then, for the sake of spite and chitchat, you added, “Sunshine, my beloved idiot, you,” finally, reaching out to bop his nose with your finger.

Followed by doing the same thing to the Labrador, still happily occupied with covering his owner’s neck and face with saliva. Upon your verbal attack, Neil winced:

“Okay, maybe I overdid it,” his face scrunched up in a second of thoughtful pause, “A bit,” the flirtatious wink completing the sentence perfectly.

“A little,” you breathed out the agreement before letting yourself look at the ring still held in its box.

A white opal stone was set within a circle of crystals, attached to a white gold band. You never did daydream about an ideal engagement ring, too worried it would either never happen or that it could spoil the expectations. Yet, if you had to picture one, it would look like this. A genuine smile lit up your face, making Neil beam in response. He waited for your nod before gently cradling your right palm between his hands and putting the ring on its designated finger. All thanks to your fiddling in the car, which resulted in moving the Trondheim ring onto the other hand.

Then Neil stood up (leaving terribly disappointed Niki on the floor) and wound an arm around your waist, pulling you close. And stealing the breath from your lungs, as usual.

“I really do love you, you know?” he nudged your nose with his, the wisp of air falling teasingly on your lips.

Following the intuition like a dance routine learned by heart, you placed your hand on his chest and returned the nudge with a playful smile dangling off the corner of your mouth.

“Mmmm, I’ve had inklings that you might” as Neil’s smile widened, you used the second of hesitation to entangle your hand and pull him closer, “I love you,” a whisper of something you did not need to say yet wanted to “Too” an addition drawing out a laugh from his lips.

And then you reached out for a kiss, raising on your tiptoes to cover his mouth with yours. Slowly gliding over his lips, tasting home, and fulfilling the needs as well as adding fuel to the fire that never died down anymore. Neil responded in kind, pulling you flush against him and submitting to your tempo. Your tongues found each other with ease, curling around one another, increasing the hunger flowing in your veins. As one kiss ended another began. And then one more. More. It was impossible to stop.

Neil’s hands moved down to your hips, gently guiding you backwards out of the room. You knew the destination without ever needing to open your eyes. An excited giggle rose in your throat and broke the silence, giving you both a pause to take a deep breath. Neil kissed you again, mindless of the way your hands wandered underneath his shirt and began the exploration of the already conquered territory. Yours.

It was once you crossed the bedroom threshold that you broke apart. The same desire, burning in your eyes, the hunger, exposed in the eager hands and heavy breaths. The giddy atmosphere almost palpable. Neil pushed the door close without a word and turned to face you. There was no need to speak as your hands found each other again. The familiar moves lighting up the spark, connected gazes showing all that has been said before and will be again. The wedding vows exchanged for the first time with the sanctity of love, underlining every motion and beat of the heart. Every sigh, shiver and moan demonstrated the ultimate truth - I am his, and he is mine. That simple.

***

An event of that scale was difficult to process. That is why you were not surprised, when as early as the next day, you started to struggle with pretending that nothing happened. Sure, the very morning (and waking up in Neil’s arms as always) was pleasant. As was breakfast and arrival at the London branch of Tenet hand-in-hand with your fiancé.

No one noticed the new ring gracing your hand during the debrief after the Canadian mission. Or when you led the seminar with recruits concerning the potentials of inverted nuclear weapons. However, when you missed the fifth target in a row during your weekly shooting range rendezvous with Ives, you knew that it would not be ignored.

You felt his glare before you saw it, weighting you down by at least a kilogram. Hesitantly shifting, you chose to put the gun down and lower the earmuffs, awaiting questions. And you were right:

“Okay, what’s wrong? Because you never miss a target like that” the accusatory tone made you turn to look at the soldier.

With the safe option waiting at hand, you arched an eyebrow and raised your right palm over the shoulder. The dependable tremors never failed you as the hand shook slightly on its own accord, helping to push the lie home.

“Oh, you know… this body ain’t perfect since a Russian soldier shot me in the-” feigning nonchalance, you watched as your fingers trembled.

And partially, it was true. Since Stalsk, you were much worse at hitting the targets, let alone a sharpshooter like before. Hence the weekly practice and hours upon hours of getting used to the weakness and trying to turn it into an asset.

But Ives did not buy this one dose of bullshit, increasing the ferocity of the glare he placed on you. Fine. You let out a long sigh before letting the façade drop from your face.

“Neil. He...” as your eyes got stuck on the engagement ring, the voice froze in your throat.

“What did the blonde bastard do this time?” you heard Ives put down the gun and looked up in time to see him eye you closely.

“He proposed. Yesterday. Over coffee in that cafe where we first met,” one word after another, you answered the question and met his gaze cautiously.

For reasons impossible to explain, you felt a rush of tension. It was as though once you had admitted the truth to someone else, it became even more real. And with it came the anxieties you long tried to hide.

Ives cracked a genuine smile, wordlessly reaching out for your right hand to look at the ring:

“Finally,” he gave it an appreciative nod before giving you a quick once-over, “What’s that look?”

Bingo. You heaved another sigh as the thoughts swirled in your head, too chaotic to be worth mentioning. And yet, this was probably the only chance. Slowly, you let your heart pour out its honesty:

“It’s just… I guess I’m shocked because I did tell him to ask me again when we don’t have world-ending prevention on our to-do list... I did worry he would change his mind” there it is.

You frowned as the truth landed in the silent room. It has been over a year since you had that first conversation with Neil about getting married. And you never did once doubt him or your relationship. Yet, anxiety with the mind of its own was not as sure. Occasionally adding sparks to the eternal debate and fuelling the questions. Because what if he would get tired of you? What then?

But he didn’t. Or, at least, it did not seem so. When you met Ives’s gaze once more, you could spot exasperation there:

“Are you kidding me?” exaggerating the question, he gave you a little disappointed headshake “He’s mad about you, completely committed. I’m wondering what took him so long” the meaningful look told you that the very next thing Ives is going to do will be asking Neil.

Without a second wasted, you knew you would rather not be present during that conversation. Not for the possibility of hearing something heartbreaking but for the lethal doses of awkwardness that would no doubt result from it.

“I think sometimes he doesn’t believe I want him like that,” you murmured using the companionable silence to speak your mind, “But then he’s an idiot,” the disclaimer added with a tight smile on your lips.

Both statements were true. Neil was an idiot, and you knew he still sometimes questioned your desire to be with him. Again, not because of distrust but, rather, a surprising lack of confidence that you never expected.

Ives shook his head, throwing out a remark with glaring disbelief:

“You’re really a perfect match,” and then, to lighten up the strangely sombre mood, he asked, “So… when’s the wedding?”

Thanks. It was the perfect opportunity to tell anxiety to fuck off and wander into the dream world you have not yet known how to navigate. Because it has only been twenty-four hours. A long way to go. It was your turn to glare at the soldier:

“Ives, I’ve only just said yes. Now there’s organising, paperwork and a shitload of decisions to take” the mere idea of how much you would have to deal with made your head spin, “We’ll send you an invite, though,”

“You better,” a final warning coupled with a wink.

Before you had to find an appropriate response, the doors to the shooting range opened with a bang. Both of you turned at the sound in time to see Wheeler step in with a weirdly enthusiastic spring in her step:

“Guys, you won’t believe it-” she never got to finish the sentence.

Ives snatched your right palm and raised it so that the ring was in Wheeler’s face:

“Our lovebirds got engaged” he looked at you proudly before throwing a cheeky smile at the fellow soldier, “Got you one better, didn’t I?” the challenge was clear.

That surprised her. You watched as Wheeler blinked twice, desperate to understand what just transpired. Then she squeezed your hand and smiled:

“Congrats”

You grinned back, returning the squeeze before asking:

“Thanks. What’s the news, boss?” the wince at the title was another reason to keep using it.

Because despite her dislike of the formalities, Wheeler was the leader of Tenet. And that was something you wanted to highlight on every given occasion. If only to irk her.

The joy from the usual banter did not last long, for she chose to drop the revelation without an opener:

“Anna and Jasper are dating. I just saw them making out in one of the empty rooms” she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, and you both bowed down to hear her better.

Wow. There was no denying the shock that passed through your system. Because you never saw that coming. And yet, it made sense if thought about at length.

“Oh,” the sound was all you could manage before taking out the phone from your pocket and adding “I’ve got to tell Neil,”

You could just about picture his face when he read the text you quickly typed out. Just as you sent the message, Ives mused out loud:

“Now that’s a love story for the ages. Forget about your little… thing already” he made a vague hand gesture towards you.

But your mind was elsewhere as soon as the phone buzzed:

“I didn’t see that one coming. Good for them tho” and then “See you at 5ish at home?”

“Yup. To both” grinning widely, you got as far as opening the work schedule before you got another text:

“Do you think now we can invite them to the wedding? Or is that too much?”

There was no logical explanation for that burst of laughter.

***

It was one of those painfully ordinary nights. Late work needing finishing, plus Neil participating in a teleconference past midnight meant occupying the dining table and him locked in the bedroom. Which was fine. Only, as you have finally managed to close the laptop and tick off the task list, the thoughts were not as keen to stop. A minute sat in perfect silence, listening to Niki’s snores, and trying to quiet down the brain was enough to let you know that it was not happening. At least not yet.

With a sigh, you opened the balcony door and slipped outside as quietly as possible. As soon as the air hit your body, you wrapped the cardigan tighter. The early May nights were often like this – not too cold and not warm either. Your gaze lazily swept over the familiar scene: the riverside, walkway, hundreds and thousands of London houses and skyscrapers piercing the skyline. The air was crisp with the night breeze, rustling the trees and blushing your cheeks. Propped on the railing, you let your head bow down for a moment, letting the swirling thoughts engulf you within their chaos. Tenet, danger, fear, Neil, wedding, future. It was all there and more. With only a week since the engagement, you did not have time to talk about the specifics of the metaphorical tying of the knot. But still, it did take up space in your head, endlessly painting itself as though a dream, impossible to be true. Let alone about to be your future. Surely you couldn’t get that lucky, right?

The answer from your brain got cut short with the sound of the door behind opening and closing. Then a warm wisp of air down your neck, bringing a shy small to your face and a sigh of relief to your throat. Neil leant down to place a kiss on the tip of your ear and moved to stand beside you. Shoulders and hips, touching, yet the space preserved to offer whatever you needed. More reasons to love him all there.

Even if lack of the shirt made your eyebrows draw together. A sight, sure, always. But not in this weather.

“What’s up?” he glanced at you; the tint of worry masked up with casualness to assure you would not put up a guard.

You allowed yourself a heavy sigh as a prelude to the answer:

“Finished work, started thinking and… here we are” a shrug, knowing he understood the issue and then added, “You can go to sleep though,” nudging him gently in the shoulder, you offered another smile.

Because it would be selfish to keep him here in the cold only for the sake of your stupid and rather pathetic issues. You knew the case was lost the moment your gazes met, and you saw the sparks in his eyes.

“Nah, think I’ll pass for now” that was the agent of chaos speaking, mouth curled into a smirk, tousled hair adding more of that boyish allure you adored.

There was no point arguing when he was that cocky. Instead, you breached the space to run your fingers up his arm and over the collarbone, watching as the moonlight played upon his skin and waiting for the shiver that always came. When your hand was just inches above his heart, Neil trembled. There it is. A satisfied grin appeared on your face as you quickly leaned back.

“You’ll catch a cold wandering around shirtless,” the note given in the best tone of chastising you could muster.

But the cold treatment was gone the moment Neil turned to you and deadpanned:

“I’ll take my chances if that means talking to you a little longer” a wink finished the sentence along with a hand squeeze, again subtly breaking the barrier.

You could barely stop yourself from facepalming.

“Christ, you’re such a charmer,” a glare had to do instead.

Neil shrugged, the expression very familiar. You knew what you had signed up for? You got it.

And you did know. Even if sometimes it was impossibly hard to believe.

Allowing the silence to settle upon the balcony, you inched closer to Neil and let your head fall on his shoulder. The storm was easing, and all you needed now was distraction and closeness. Finally, after a long pause, an innocent question wandered into the forefront of your mind and placed itself on the tip of your tongue:

“When did you know?” your voice sounded small as it rang out in the quiet space.

But there was no need to explain the meaning. You felt Neil glance down before he pressed a quick kiss to the top of your head and cleared his throat:

“New York, just before the kiss. Call it silly, but that moment seemed like one of those when stars align” he chuckled lowly, and you looked up in time to see the faint blush on his cheeks, “There you were with your beauty, charisma, humour, and wits. You fascinated me, drew me in and made me want to understand you. Every curve of your mouth, every gesture, silence, sigh, and desire” your gazes met, the earnestness in his eyes caught you by surprise as your breath hitched “And then I kissed you. I knew I could never forget how it felt” the punchline came with an honest smile and a quick pulse pounding in your ears.

Love. Love. Love.

You felt like bursting into tears and throwing your hands around his neck in the tightest of embraces. But instead, you cracked a grin and arched an eyebrow, taking pleasure in how Neil seemed incapable of looking away from you.

“My God, I’m marrying a poet,” nudging him lightly in the shoulder, you made sure to dramatise the tone best you could.

The answering smile was the reward you needed as Neil chimed in:

“And a physicist,” the faux seriousness lightening up the atmosphere and making you break out into a laugh.

“2 in 1, best deal around,” raising your voice with enthusiasm, you patted him on the shoulder before letting Neil draw you into the side hug.

With his response to the question still ringing in your ears, it was easy to relax and ease the strange anxiety. Because it meant he had a lot of time to change his mind yet never did. But you were not given too much opportunity to ponder about it for a long time.

“When did you know?” the emphasis made you look up straight into Neil’s eyes as he repeated the question.

You could tell that he was curious rather than just determined to make you return the confession. It was that revelation that prompted the simple request:

“Come here…” gently you tugged at his hand to make Neil embrace you tighter and put his hand on your waist; then a simple answer “Oslo” the corner of your lip curled upward as the memories flashed through your head.

No doubts about that. Even if at the time you were not so keen to admit it, if thought about in retrospect, it was obvious. Because how else would one even explain the way those days felt?

“Handiwork skills?” Neil wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, glancing down at his left hand clasped in yours.

The furious blush was inescapable. Right on track. Deflecting the shyness, you chose to squeeze Neil’s palm tighter and answer with stark honesty:

“That too” a wink to compliment the admission before you followed the more profound line of thought “But also how you looked at me, how you held my hand, how you kissed me. I could feel it there, during every second spent in your company” stopping to take a long inhale you almost got lost in Neil’s eyes, drinking every word you said “And I wanted more, of you, your words, and your presence. I never felt like that before” the conclusion fell between you with monumental silence even though it was nothing new “Sometimes it terrifies me” breathing out the addition, you got caught by the love in his eyes.

“Why?” and a tinge of curiosity.

That was the needed trigger to help you turn in the embrace and face Neil with your back against the railing. You did not need more than the dim city lights and the moon to make out the familiar features. And the gaze focused only on you. As though you were the centre of his universe.

“Because of the power you have over me. You can reduce me to shivers and consuming need within ten minutes of the right moves” with a small smile, you let your finger run up his arm and down the chest, feeling the warmth and relishing in the reactions he did not bother to hide.

Neil grinned as his hand slid down to your hip, thumb brushing the skin underneath the shirt:

“Ten minutes? I’d say five” the challenging sparks in his eyes told you that the course had been set.

And you might as well obey.

“Oh, so confident,” eyeing him sceptically, your hands wandered over his torso, getting braver in their exploration.

The hint of the heartbeat, the strong arms, embracing you in the cage of safety, the feel of home and happiness. As your courageous fingers skimmed over his ribs and curled around the belt loops, Neil raised his hand to trace down the slope of your nose, hesitating just above the lip line:

“Because I know you inside and out,” the confidence was infuriating even if earned, “I can’t wait to use that knowledge for better or worse,” as was the promise of much more in his eyes.

Feeling the impatience building up in your heart, you reached out to tangle your hand in Neil’s hair. Because if the past year taught you anything, it was that Neil had his weaknesses. Namely, you and…

“Says the man with hair pulling kink” tugging at the blonde strands forcefully, you observed with satisfaction how he swallowed hard, and his lips opened to let out a shallow gasp “That good?” the moment he seemed to become even more earnest, you let go and offered him your smirk in return.

The passing shock combined with a frustrated whine was undoubtedly worth it. However, it did not last long.

“You’re such a tease, my love” Neil bopped your nose before you could react and once more wound his arms around your waist.

“Learned from the best,” shrugging, you rose on tiptoes to take advantage of the proximity.

As your mouth pressed against his, Neil opened his lips to deepen the contact and pulled you closer. It was easy enough to forget about the cold and the world itself when kissing him. Because it always felt like so much more. Like a wordless exchange of love confessions. Like a morning full of hope for the life ahead. Like being understood and wanted. Like everything you did not even know, you were seeking yet found in the man with a dazzling smile and sea-blue eyes. Neil tangled his hand in your hair, smoothing down the strands and angling your head to get that perfect access. And then he traced the outline of your mouth his tongue before sinking his teeth into your lower lip and pulling at it lightly. You let out a quiet moan and laced your fingers on the nape of his neck. It was only when the kisses threatened to get a little too intense that you backed away with an apologetic smile.

There was still something you needed to say. Shifting a little to rest your hip against the railing yet still gaze up at Neil, you allowed the words to come through without hesitation:

“These days, I can’t sometimes believe this is real. I live this life, yet it seems so… dream-like” your smile widened when Neil covered your hand resting on the balustrade with his palm.

You never expected the evening to evolve into sincere conversations in the dark. However, you were not the one to ignore the opportunity when it came up. And the issue of realness and improbability has been long on your mind.

The look full of understanding told you that Neil, too, was grateful for the moment you have staged:

“I know what you mean” he nodded, eyeing you closely to assure you would notice the depth of feelings underneath “Usually I don’t think twice about it all, but then sometimes there are those… flashes when I stop and look at you… and I can’t believe my luck” another gasp; it was increasingly hard to breathe “It’s those mornings when you snuggle into my chest instead of getting up, the way your face lights up after that first sip of perfect coffee. The afternoons when I come back from work to find you cuddling Niki on the sofa. Hell, even those evenings when you’ve no strength to talk to me yet you kiss me as if your life depends on it” as his grip tightened, you fought with tears that welled up in your eyes, “That’s when my heart skips a beat, and I need to remind myself that I really am this fortunate” Neil perfected the delivery with a happy grin and raised your hand to leave a kiss on your knuckles.

A tear trailed down your cheek as you exhaled and whispered the only comment available after something of that scale:

“Neil…” it was half complaint, half love confession.

Just that. Just Neil. Using the language of instincts, your hand wandered up to his chest again, settling just over the heart.

A clear message. I love you. Your heart belongs to me.

“What? Tis the night for honesty” despite the cocky tone, his eyes softened as he observed you with silent awe.

Exactly how he just said. Your heart was thumping wildly, kicking up a riot for a cause you did not understand. Or, ever wished to comprehend in entirety. Instead, a simple question had to do:

“Is just… how?” feeling his heartbeat speed up with a steady rhythm, it was easier to find another breath.

And settle back into reality with the knowledge that it was happening. As the opal on the engagement ring caught the moonlight and glimmered, you closed your eyes, willing to extend the bliss as long as possible.

You missed Neil’s gentle smile. And the way his eyes lit up with uncontained happiness.

“You know what they say, do not search, and ye shall find,” he leaned in to whisper with pretend indifference.

As his lips brushed over the shell of your ear, you shuddered. The elementary statement was true to the bone, so much that it was difficult to understand.

But it was how it was always supposed to be. Love that just happened, instead of the one you expected. The unexpected evolution that took your life by a storm and had not yet eased. Perfect.

Your eyes opened, vision clouded with too many emotions to name and not enough words to say. But you had time. All of it.

“Pretty sure none says that,” so you cracked a smile, the exhilaration infectious and precious.

“They should start then” Neil shrugged as he placed a kiss on your temple and pulled you in for a hug.

Just so. Just like that.

Without thinking your arms went around his waist, tightening the embrace and helping you become enveloped within the feel of home. An inhale of the cologne and your heart slowed down to a normal tempo. As always. Neil propped his head on yours, softly swaying to a nonexistent tune. There was nothing to complain about. Nothing to fear. Only one day after the next in the best company you could imagine.

And so, you relaxed in his hold, tangling your fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and gently scratching the skin with soothing motions. It could have been minutes or hours until either of you spoke again. Neil was running his fingertips over your back when he suddenly pressed yet another kiss to the top of your head and murmured:

“Thank you” it was filled with so much conviction that you had to lean back and meet his gaze.

As ever watchful and incredibly blue. Following the logic of the heart, you reached out to cup his cheek and arched an eyebrow:

“For?” the quiet felt too sacred to be broken with as much as voice raised above whisper.

First, in an answer you got a disarming smile, it was one of those that always reminded you that the fall was inevitable. Then, Neil searched your face for a beat before speaking:

“Taking a chance on me” the sincerity felt like a painful pinch straight in the heart.

Inevitable.

Once more feeling too close to tears trust yourself, you hid your face in his neck.

“Always, sunshine” as your throat constricted with the weight of feelings, you left a kiss above his collarbone “You too” a breathless addition.

He did not have to ask, you wanted to say it anyway. A deep breath. A calming inhale of the familiarity. And…

“For showing me what it should feel like”

Hands clinging to his body. Unknown peace filling every cavern of your heart that was not busy loving Neil. Future was not terrifying anymore. It was here. Right here.

Neil shuddered, moved by the cold and the undeniability of truth. His grip tightened, pulling you as close as possible. He did not need to answer. You knew anyway.

Only yours. Always yours. I love you.

A distant sound of a party turning up the speakers. Billy Idol.

A laugh. Happy tears mixing with the heartfelt pain. The foot tapping out a rhythm. Lips mouthing out the lyrics.

“Fancy that for our first dance?” earnest blue and messy blonde.

A giddy grin.

Hopeful.

#tenet #neil tenet #neil tenet x reader #neil x reader #neil tenet fanfic #neil tenet imagine #tenet fanfic #robert pattinson #the art of inversion

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ask-glados · 5 years

Text

“Drunk” GLaDOS

// A while back, @myinventions and I wrote a funny little RP on Discord about Tesla making a mistake while editing GLaDOS’s source code, which leads to her glitching out and acting “drunk” and rather unlike herself. XD It’s just a silly little scenario for fun, and since it’s old, it may be a little different than how we RP GLaDOS and Tesla now, (it’s a little on the cheesy side and I would probably write GLaDOS more restrained now, but since he’s literally changing the source code that makes up her behavior, it’s technically an in-universe explanation for her to act a little out of character haha) but you know what, I thought I’d share it anyway because it’s still funny and cute and has lots of TeslaDOS fluff. X3 Enjoy!

—————

"Alright. -- and... saving file." Keeping her close to him, he entered the save command.

[saved]

As soon as he saw the command successfully completed, he wrapped both arms around her protectively. "Done."

Her hologram sparked and glitched out for a few moments, while her chassis gave a sudden jolt as well, sparks flying off it. Her hologram then looked at him with a goofy grin.

”Wow... I had no idea remorse could feel so... good... heehee...” She stroked his cheek. ”You know something? You’re sooooo handsome. Do I ever tell you that? Because you are. Heehee~” She sounded a bit loopy, almost drunkenly so. ”And you’re not just a pretty face, either. Noooo... Beneath that beautiful face is a beautiful mind... A beautiful genius mind comparable to my own... heehee~”

Observing the sparks and glitches, Tesla went still. What had he done? Was she really alright? Expecting the worst, as he sucked in a breath and braced himself for what was to come... he was in for completely different results.

His eyebrows raised in surprise as he saw her face... and his jaw dropped the moment she opened her mouth. What...? He didn't know whether to feel more startled over the fact something must have went very wrong when he saved that file, or perplexed at the possibility of her ability to sound drunk, or grow intensely bashfully to her very bold compliments (so unlike her usual self). Act naturally, Tesla...

"GLaDOS! Darling!" He stammered. "How... very... flattering! Yes, flattering of you to say so!"

”You don’t give yourself enough credit, dear Nicki~ teehee~ You really ARE the master of electricity, aren’t you? Because your very presence overloads my circuits. Heehee~”

Her form continued to spark and glitch intermittently.

Had she just... called him by his first name? A nickname derivative of his first name no less? Something... must definitely be wrong.

But before he could even hypothesize where he went wrong, Tesla's face suddenly flushed to a shade of hot red. His electric blue eyes could only stare at her - speechless by the intensity of her words. "I-- you -- do I --- overload your--" He stammered - stumbling over his words as his blush deepened - struggling between returning a flattered grin and maintaining his calmer demeanor. "Ahhh... thank you, kindly, Cara Mia! I-- could say the same about you."

She leaned in closer to him. ”Silly man. You don’t have circuits... though you could have fooled me. Heeheehee~” She began kissing his cheeks over and over, dozens of times, to the point where it was completely ridiculous and almost annoying.

"Oh? I don't? -- oh, that's right. I don't!" He chuckled in embarrassment. The suddenness of her... forwardly affectionate nature rendered him a bumbling blushing mess. "Oh! -- Oh my!" His eyelashes fluttered as he was growing overwhelmed by her kisses. He tried to glance back at the computer monitors. "I - I love you, too, sweetcore, just - we do have to get back to science, now..."

”Oh, science... That’s what I love most about you! How you’re all about SCIENCE!” She suddenly grabbed him and pulled him toward her, giving him a passionate kiss on the lips. Her sudden movement threw them off balance, causing them to topple onto the floor, Tesla on top of her. She stared at him for a moment, then laughed.

"Precisely! So how about we get back on track and... -- !!!!!" His eyes widened as she seized him into passionate kiss. Not even before he could return the sentiment they were suddenly tipped off.

"-- AH!" Flailing his arms in the air, he was fortunately met with a soft landing, and then laughed in unison with her. Delightful~. He just had to focus... and... not grow too hopelessly distracted by the irresistibility of her unusually minx-like behavior.

Gently but firmly pinning her down - for just a few moments until he could catch his breath - he blushingly stared intently at her. "If I may be so bold, my dear, but what on earth happened to you??"

“I don’t know, you tell me... After all, you’re my master programmer now, heehee~” She giggled as her form twitched and glitched erratically.

His face scientifically couldn't possibly be more blushing red than it was right now, could it (when she puts it that way...)? But now, without a shadow of a doubt he knew this was his doing. "I can fix this." Leaning forward he kissed her nose and winked at her before letting go of her, rising to his feet, and returning to the computer monitor to see where he had made the mistake...

She giggled at his kiss, then got up and followed him back over to the monitor, which was displaying an endless list of errors in her source code. She hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder, looking on at the screen with him. ”Oh, dear. You seem to have made a mess of me. Haha.”

He sighed, almost dreading seeing her face when she saw he was the cause of all those errors. "‘Oh, dear’ is right. I'm -- so sorry, GLaDOS..." he whispered, concerned with her growing sparks and glitch-twitches. "Like... I said... I can fix this!" He said stubbornly "I just need... to retrace my steps. And .... -- worst case, do you have a backup of your systems anywhere?"

”Technically yes. Though, it’d be far more efficient to just use the ‘undo’ command.” She kissed his cheek. ”Though, I don’t know why you’d want to undo any of this~ Teehee~”

“Undo Command?” He raised an eyebrow and turned to face her, “What’s that?” Turning to face her, he cupped her face in both hands. “And, for the record - while this - (‘accidentally turning GLaDOS into an endless cuddle machine’) version of yourself is adorably fun to be around, it isn’t you. And I don’t want that to change, I want your personality and beautiful self to remain intact while we just give you back your rightful functions.” He kissed her forehead. “Know that.”

”What do you THINK it does, Niki-poo?” She giggled. ”All it requires is a *little* press of the Control and Z keys.”

”Oh, I love it when you talk like that. You’re sooooo gorgeous, inside and out. A beautiful man and a shining example of the magnificence of your human species.”

He was still so surprised to hear her call him an endearing derivation of his first name (but it sure started to grow on him).

“That’s — that’s it? It’s that simple?”

He laughed heartily, bashfully hugging her. “Oh, you. I can’t believe you’re real. I can’t believe... you really love me... so, so much...”

He quickly kissed her lips before returning to the screen to try out the undo command. Seeing his changes instantaneously reverted he gasped - like it was the greatest invention since sliced bread. Looking back at her he pointed to the screen, excitedly. “Did you see that??”

He then nodded, “Alright. Let’s get you back to normal first and then try this again.”

[saved]

With anticipation he looked back at her... Did it work...?

She giggled at him. ”You’re so cute when you get excited like this.” As the changes were saved, both her chassis and hologram twitched for a moment, her hologram’s form refreshing and rescanning itself. Her hologram let go of him and stepped back, holding her head and looking dazed. “Ungh... what just... happened...? Wait, did I just... Oh god.” She looked at him, wide-eyed, as her face turned bright red. In one swift motion, she swung at him with an open palm, slapping him across the cheek, though the force behind it was only half-hearted. ”What did you do to me, you moron?!” Though, she was clearly only yelling at him out of embarrassment.

Tesla watched her carefully, intently, in hopes he didn't make any mistakes again in simply trying to revert her back to normal. "GLaDOS. Are you -- !!" Slap. She was back to normal, alright. He rubbed his cheek gingerly, cringing as she scolded him. I... probably deserved that, he thought to himself, looking back at her shame-faced. "I'm so, very terribly sorry, GLaDOS!" he sighed loudly, "I-- It was an accident, I swear! I -- I'll be much more careful... promise!"

She leaned toward him menacingly, getting up in his face and pointing a finger at him, as if scolding a child. "You are going to forget everything I just said or did while in that... state. Got it?" She prodded his chest firmly with her finger.

He took a step backwards out of reflex, nodding, and weakly replying "Yes, ma'am." After witnessing the blazing fire in her eyes, he averted his gaze while he endured her reprimanding.

After a long pause he asked quietly, "...Are you finished?"

She backed off and let out a sigh. “Yes. Now, let’s try this again. But this time, I’m double-checking your work.” She went back over to stand by the stool in front of the monitor.

#GLaDOS #Portal #Portal 2 #TeslaDOS #My Partner in Science — {Tesla}

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