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sunflowersandsapphires · 1 year ago

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Shades of Pink

Of Oak and Ivy, Chapter 2

Series Masterlist Next Chapter

pairing: Matt Murdock x fem!reader

summary: In college, Matt Murdock had two best friends, Foggy Nelson and you. However, life had no intention of letting you graduate with him. When he reconnects with you in adulthood, he is troubled to see the hand God has dealt you and vows to use every tool at his disposal to save you from damnation.

warnings: swearing, jealous/possessive Matt, underage drinking, Matt being a fool

a/n: Thank you all for being patient with me! My brain has not been feeling up to writing lately but I managed to get the next few chapters of this fic planned out! I have a couple more written so the plan is to post an update for this fic every 3 weeks. I hope that's frequent enough for y'all :)

w/c: 5.8k

Matt’s skull rattled as the machine in front of him gave a shriek, metal grinding on metal. Gritting his teeth, he ran a hand over the machine’s interface, growing more frustrated when the start button was rendered functionless.

The telling chime of an error message echoed in the damp basement and taunted him. “Fuck!” He cursed, kicking the reinforced frame in anger. Great, now he had no clean clothes AND his foot hurt.

Growling in irritation, he yanked open the door and began grasping handfuls of soaking wet clothes and dropping them into his hamper with nauseating splats.

The suds from his detergent quickly settled into a film over his skin, actively worsening his mood. Setting his jaw, he hefted the rapidly dampening laundry bag over his shoulder to trudge back to his room.

Each step sent shockwaves of tension through his frame, he was freefalling into overstimulation at this point. By the time he reached his floor, every cell in his body was rigid, trying desperately to hold back the rage-induced sobs building in his chest. Fumbling with his key, he managed to push the door open with a slam—startling Foggy and, unexpectedly, you.

“Hey man, we were about to come find you so we could grab lunch. You, uh, you ok?” Foggy asked skeptically, but Matt ignored him. Instead, focused on your soft footsteps from the edge of his bed to his stiff form in the doorway.

“What happened, trouble?” The name suggested you were hoping to lighten his mood, but he could practically taste the concern rolling off your skin.

“Washing machine broke. Didn’t feel like dealing with it, so…” Matt shrugged, biting his cheek fiercely to avoid becoming emotional in your presence.

You tutted in sympathy, reaching to his shoulder to slip the bag of laundry from his clenched fist. “Well, after lunch I can drive you to my place and we can do laundry there, if you want?” The warmth of your fingertips over his torso sent a shudder down his spine. “Matt..?”

“Yah, that…that sounds good. Let’s, uh, let’s do that.” Matt responded lamely, shuffling from foot to foot as he willed his tense body to slacken.

“I’m sorry your day started so poorly. Do you want a hug?” Your voice was soft, your posture hesitant as you asked Matt a question he didn’t know he needed to hear. Nodding miserably, he collapsed against you.

Your soft hands wrapped around his chest, pressing upwards between his shoulder blades with delightful pressure. Matt melted into the embrace, feeling the frustration flood out of his body with each of your inhales. Threading one hand into his hair, you scratched lightly, eliciting a dreamy sigh from him. Giggling in response, you squeezed him tightly before drawing away, much to his chagrin.

You chuckled, tracing a thumb over the deep furrow between his brows. “Wow, that bad?”

Face falling, Matt’s mouth fell open in a mixture of embarrassment and horror. Shaking his head profusely, he stammered. “N-no, not at all, I just—“

Lightly shoving his shoulder, you laughed brightly. “I’m kidding, trouble. It seems like you needed that. So…” Turning back to face Foggy (who Matt had forgotten was there) you smiled. “Lunch?”

“Foggy if you spill that in my car, you’re banned. You hear me? Excommunicated from my vehicular sanctuary.” You groused, glaring at the blond who was precariously balancing a large milkshake on his knees in your rear view mirror.

Blushing, Foggy quickly moved the cup to a more sturdy location as he finished his burger. “Yes ma’am.” He gave a mock salute, making you abandon your scowl for a satisfied smirk. Matt was smiling beside you, sipping his coffee carefully to avoid the same threats as his roommate.

The three of you were seated comfortably in your car, bags of both Matt’s and Foggy’s laundry stashed in the trunk as you inched closer to the building you lived in.

Your loft was hidden away in the back corner of a bland building about 8 blocks from Campus. The worn red brick stood about 15 stories tall, complete with the paint-dripped doors and crooked windows that one comes to expect when seeing cheap student housing.

The inside was drafty and humid, the insulation having rotted away through decades of storms and frat-style ragers. The walls were far from soundproof, given they were about 90% white paint, which had encouraged you to begin seeking refuge in Matt and Foggy’s room whenever you needed to study or, honestly, a moment of peace on a weekend.

Which is how you found yourself toting the two boys back to your spacious yet slightly dingy loft which, amazingly, had its own functional washer and dryer. And, thankfully, a really comfy couch given that Foggy hadn’t done laundry once since move in.

“How on earth have you made it this far in life without doing a single load of laundry?” Matt panted between giggles as Foggy’s face scrunched with a pout as he shuffled over to the washer.

“I don’t know! My mom always did it.” Matt failed to hold back a snort and Foggy crossed his arms. “It’s not that funny, Murdock!”

“Do your siblings know how to do laundry?” You raised an eyebrow at him, not even trying to keep your smile contained. Matt was in stitches beside you and his laughter was contagious.

“I mean yah, but—“ Matt guffawed and Foggy sank into his seat, sullenly glaring at the pair of you. “I hate you guys. So much for friendship.”

A bout of giggles burst out of you. “Don’t worry, Fog. We’ll show you how. It’s really not that hard, just need to know a few things.”

You opened the top of the washer. “I’m assuming you don’t have detergent then?” Taking Foggy’s indiscernible mutter as an affirmative, you pulled out your own.

“That’s fine, I’ll loan you some, but I expect you to buy your own next time, Nelson. This shit ain’t cheap.” You pointed a finger at him and he put his hand up in promise.

“Scout’s honor.”

Matt turned to you with a grimace. “Shit, I didn’t bring any either. It didn’t cross my mind.”

With a humorous twinkle in your eye, you pinched his waist. “That’s ok, Matt. You can use some of mine whenever you want. Not a problem.”

Foggy’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious!?”

Ignoring him, Matt gave you an overly gracious smile, clearly picking up on your mirthful spirit. “That is so kind of you, sweetheart. You have such a giving personality.”

Foggy spluttered in irritation, head whipping between the two of you incredulously.

“Anything for my favorite guy.” You purred, sidling up to him as Foggy choked. Matt couldn’t help the flutter of his heart at the implication of you preferring him over anyone else.

“Guys, c'mon. You’re being mean.” Foggy pouted. You chuckled but pulled away from Matt to wrap the other boy in a hug.

“I’m sorry, Fog. I love you too, scout’s honor.”

Foggy grumbled at your promise, but returned the hug. “Yah, yah. Sure ya do. Anyway, are you gonna teach me something or will I continue to wander through this world clueless about the wonders of clean clothes?”

Giggling, you pulled him over to the machine and launched into a thorough explanation of the process. While he was sure you were sharing good tips, Matt’s brain was not at all focused on your words. His mind was transfixed on the heat cradling his shoulder from your faded touch, and the steadiness of your heart when you’d called him your favorite guy.

It was hard to not let his thoughts wander, when the smell of you coiled around him like a scarf on a bitter cold day. Your heartbeat danced along as you spoke animatedly with Foggy—teasing, confident personality slowly beginning to reveal itself as you grew more comfortable with the two roommates. Matt was no stranger to his tendency to fall head first for quick-witted women, but it was getting harder to obey his rational side when you opened yourself to him in ways like this.

Trusting him, encouraging his teasing sarcasm with your own goofy humor, leaning into his touchy nature as if you wanted it too. The fact that he was about to be wearing your laundry detergent for weeks was not going to help quell his growing infatuation.

Your voice broke through the growing pile of thoughts in his mind. “Right, Matt?”

“Uh, what?” His face must have reflected his dreamy confusion because Foggy snorted.

“Doing ok over there, Casanova? Did we lose you in the intricacies of a habit you already have?” Matt rolled his eyes as he heard two hands land on hips, knowing Foggy was giving him a shit-eating smirk.

“Believe it or not, Nelson, I don’t have the most fun listening to you all day every day. Forgive me for letting my mind wander while you learned something simple.” His tone was meant to be light, but the nerve Foggy had unknowingly struck left his voice harsher than intended.

Stepping in between him and his roommate, you placed a hand on his arm gently. “Hey, it’s ok that you tuned us out and it’s ok that Foggy needs help with this. I was just letting him know that we were always here if he had any questions.”

Wincing as he realized you were mediating a conflict he’d accidentally created, he smiled sadly at the blond. “Sorry, Fog. Of course you can ask me. Always. I’m practically a laundry expert.” He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

His attempt worked immediately. “Aw, you sap. You’re forgiven.” Foggy smashed himself against his roommate, eliciting a grunt from the taller man.

“Thanks, bud. I appreciate you both dealing with my bad mood today.” Matt spoke quietly, a flicker of fear sparking in his chest.

“What bad mood?” You asked, joining the hug. The two of you squeezed Matt until he groaned at you to get off, setting off fits of giggles in you and Foggy both.

“Ok, now that we��ve started the washer, I can give you the tour!” You exclaimed, stepping towards the doorway. “This way, gentlemen! Prepare to be amazed.”

The act of doing laundry at your place shouldn’t have been as life-changing as it was for Matt. Your soft floral scent clung to all of him—his clothes, his sheets, his skin. Each inhale brought him closer to you, and it was more indulgent than any sensation he’d ever experienced. Connecting with you at all was incredible, but to have your presence melding into his belongings as if you had chosen him, claimed him. It was divine.

Unfortunately, as had been evident his entire life, all good things come at a price. The cost of feeling this close to you was the new pressure on his delicate senses. He adored the fact that he was able to carry a piece of you with him, it brought more emotional comfort than he could have imagined, but his nose and skin were less happy about the idea.

“Matt, I’m begging you, rewash your clothes, man. You’re, like, allergic to that detergent, I think.” Foggy bit his lip, circling his roommate as he looked at the irritation crawling across Matt’s back.

“‘M fine, Fog.” Matt tugged on a shirt, ignoring the worry emanating from his roommate. “My skin is just sensitive, is all. It just needs to adjust.” He left out the fact that this slight effect was nothing compared to the reaction his skin had every time his clothes were washed in coarse starch by the nuns. At least this was a symptom of your genuine care for him, rather than general disdain for his needs.

“And this has nothing to do with that fact that you’re adorably into our mutual friend,” Matt winced as Foggy teasingly handed out your name.

“I’m not ‘into’ her, Fog! What the hell?”

“Sure, that’s why you’re walking around using more control than I’ve ever had in my life to not scratch your skin clean off your bones?” Foggy shook his head as Matt attempted to inconspicuously slide his hand back into his lap from where it was itching his side.

“Like I said, sensitive skin—“

“Not to mention that you’ve had more headaches this week than in the nearly two months I’ve known you?” Matt remained silent at the allegation, hoping not to convey admission with his lack of words.

The headaches had been more of a nuisance than the scratchy fabric rubbing at his angry skin. He wasn’t used to this much exposure to scented items in his personal space, let alone pressed against him. But it was all worth it to hear the sweet little sigh you gave when you were close to him, comforted by the familiarity.

“Nothing to say for yourself? You realize the more you avoid this conversation, the more likely it seems that you like her, right?”

Matt just sighed. “I can’t like her, Fog. We are in our first semester at one of the most prestigious law schools in the country and she’s one of two friends that I have. I can’t lose that, and I don’t have the time to start a real relationship. So we need to stay friends.”

“I get it, Matt. You’re not really a long term kind of guy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn! She is so sweet I’m sure she’d be more than patient with you.” Damn Foggy’s intuition for constantly discovering the core of Matt’s insecurities.

“She deserves better than me.”

“Matt—“

“No, Foggy,” Clenching his fists, Matt let out a breath through flaring nostrils. “I’m not good enough.”

Foggy sighed, but dropped the subject.

Despite Matt being more than confident in his inability to treat you the way you deserved, he found himself growing incredibly envious of the attention you started receiving from other men. There was no doubt in his mind that you were attractive, he’d had more than a few conversations with Foggy (and enough time in class biting his cheek in anger as the men around you fixated) to know that you caught the attention of damn near everyone in the room.

Maybe it was the fact that you weren’t afraid of standing up for your beliefs or confronting an ignorant point raised by a classmate. It also could’ve been the fact that you were one of the only students who knew what was going on. Your intelligence was captivating, and the way your voice carried defiantly across the room seemed to encourage the affections of both your peers and the Property Law TA.

Explanation for their interest aside, Matt found himself practically swatting potential suitors away from you each day, irritation swelling in his chest as your heart fluttered at the attention. You’d shyly admitted to him that you’d never had a long term relationship before and that you weren’t used to being sought after. If he was an ounce more of a man, he would have confessed just how much you deserved the affection, even when it wasn’t from him. It wasn’t fair of him to keep you from happiness, he knew that, but every time your pulse skipped as another boy complimented you, it felt like he’d been kicked in the gut.

So he’d taken to stewing in his own silent fury, currently pretending to read ahead while actually listening intently to your bubbling laughter as a boy a few rows behind you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear with some generic pick up line. Shifting in his seat to disguise the rumbling growl in his throat, his heart sank as the bachelor invited you to a party that evening. Giggling, you giddily accepted, writing down the details before scurrying back to your seat.

There was a noticeable warmth in the apples of your cheeks and the tips of your ears. Matt could practically feel the radiant smile you were wearing. As he was working up the dignity to break the silence, you turned to him gleefully. “Matty,” He’d be lying if he said his heart didn’t skip at the new affectionate nickname. “What would you say to attending our first college party?”

Trudging back to the corner across the horrifically sticky wood floor, Matt set his jaw and chugged the disgusting alcoholic sludge he’d been served. Waiting impatiently for the buzz to wash over him, he glowered in a stiff armchair as you flitted around with the overly flirtatious host. Foggy had disappeared ages ago with a peppy journalism student, telling him not to wait up.

The party was off campus at the house of your fellow Torts student. He and his large handful of housemates lived in a shabby 3 bedroom that felt fragile in design, as if the strong bass blasting from the beer-soaked speakers would shatter the foundation at any moment. Sweaty bodies pressed together in a pulsating mass, dancing to the ear-piercing techno music and slurping down cheap booze.

Matt was well aware that he was not explicitly invited to this soirée, but hearing you ramble excitedly at the idea of the three of you attending together had been too sweet to shut down. Your gracious host only seemed a bit miffed that two boys had shown up with you, taking no time to brush off Matt and Foggy’s polite greetings and whisk you away like the true gentleman he was shaping up to be.

James or Josh or whatever his name was, Matt could honestly care less, clearly intended to get in your pants, and was taking no time to attempt that. After pumping you full of Jell-O shots, he engaged you in conversation about the volunteer work he loved so much during high school. Matt didn’t need to hear his heartbeat to know that was utter bullshit, but you responded with elation, ecstatic to find another law student with a similar moral compass to your own. The dark haired law student was more focused on the fact that he could smell his rival’s arousal brewing, a set of wandering hands becoming increasingly noticeable despite the quaking music and overwhelming atmosphere. Hearing a nervous giggle spill out of your mouth as you shrugged out of an inebriated touch, Matt stumbled off the cushions he sat on, ambling over to you to ensure you were safe.

Before he’d even reached you, your attention landed on him and your pulse stilled. The relieved exhale that left your lips as your eyes found him in the crowd gave his ego a boost for the ages. Waltzing up to you with a smirk, he wrapped an arm protectively around your shoulders as you smiled up at him. “Hey, you! Long time, no see.” Your voice was cheerful despite the situation.

“You doing ok?” Matt asked, ignoring the brooding man to his left who had backed off a bit since Matt had walked over.

“Uh huh!” Your head bobbed with a nod, leaning into Matt, you waved towards your suitor. “Jake was just telling me about his work with the Red Cross after Hurricane Isabel.”

The buff man gave a condescending chuckle, eyes darting over your form. “The Peace Corps, actually.”

You gasped, “Oh, that’s right, I’m so sorry!” Jake simply smiled, his eyes darkening as Matt subconsciously clenched his hand around you.

“Quite alright, sweetheart,” He drawled and Matt’s small grin vanished. How dare he call you that? Only Matt was allowed to call you that. “It’s easy to get confused about that stuff. But, yah, it was just so…rewarding, ya know? Helping all those poor people who lost their homes. Can’t wait to do it again after graduating.”

“Oh, you’re going back to the Peace Corps? How noble of you,” Matt smiled, thinly covering his irritation at this jerk’s arrogance.

“Well, either that or a similar organization. It’s just so important to give back, ya know?” The tone of the other man indicated that he, too, was holding back a stream of anger.

As Matt was about to spit back a response, a drunk guy tripped into Jake, who promptly “spilled” (threw) his drink onto Matt’s pristine shirt. Jumping away from you, Matt stood up straight to let the excess liquid drip off his torso, trying not to scream as the damp fabric fused with his skin.

Jake, ever the charmer, let out a barking laugh. “Shit, sorry man. Wasn’t thinking.”

“Course you weren’t,” Matt muttered, flicking excess moisture from his hands.

“Oh gosh, you ok, Matty?” You hurried to grab paper towels from the counter behind you, pressing a wad into Matt’s hands while using another handful to dry his shirt yourself. Standing there frozen, Matt’s tipsy brain couldn’t fathom how amazing it felt to have your fingers pressed against his stomach as you tried to clean him up.

Realizing with a jolt that he hadn’t responded to your worried question, he placed a hand over yours gently. “Uh, yah, I’m fine.”

“Don’t worry about him, beautiful, he can clean up in the bathroom while we chat.” Heat pushed aggressively at his already sticky skin as Jake sidled up behind you, placing eager hands on your waist as the douchebag tried to pry you from Matt.

Suddenly, something in him snapped. He wasn’t happy with the immense amount of sensation he’d had to endure nor the fact that he’d been listening to a complete asshole flirt with you all night. Not to mention, said asshole seemed to be moving faster than you wanted and was now physically removing you from Matt’s safeguarding after pouring foul-smelling punch all over his clean shirt? That was just unacceptable. The dark force within Matt that was constantly simmering below the surface was ready to erupt.

Stepping forward with a snarl, Matt was ready for a fight, but he didn’t have to start one.

Pulling out of the grasp of your aggressive suitor’s hands, you intertwined your fingers with Matt’s. “Sorry, Jake, but I should get going. I have to be up for a scholarship event tomorrow, and I’ll need a good amount of sleep if I want to act not-hungover.” You giggled, smiling at him. “I’ll see you around?”

“Sure. Whatever,” Jake feigned a smile, stalking away but muttering loud enough for Matt to hear, “Stupid bitch.”

Matt growled, taking a firm step towards him, but you tugged on his hand. “Hey,” You murmured, squeezing his hand, “Let’s get out of here.”

Not wanting to upset you by giving away the other man’s shitty intentions, Matt trailed after you as you wove through the crowd and out the door. The grip of your fingers around his hand was grounding, allowing him to push away the less pleasant feelings from the party. Shoving past a group of people playing beer pong outside, you sighed as your lungs took in fresh air for the first time in a few hours.

“Wow, that was…” you trailed off, steps faltering slightly.

“Yah.” Matt agreed, trying not to blush as you linked your arms together on the path towards his dorm. “I’m…sorry.”

Turning to him, your footwork halted. “For what, Matty?”

“I didn’t mean to stop you from enjoying yourself. You and…Jake,” Matt practically choked around the name. “Really seemed to hit it off.”

You were quiet for a moment, your steady heartbeat echoing in Matt’s ears, before you burst out laughing. Giggles became chuckles which transformed into uproarious laughter. You had to pull yourself out of Matt’s hold to cradle your stomach as you cracked yourself up. Matt just stared blankly at you, brain flooding with pure confusion.

“Matt,” You wheezed. “He’s a total douchebag.”

“But, but I thought—“ Matt shook his head, breaking into his own set of giggles listening to your bright, infectious ones. “Stop laughing! He was all over you!”

“Yah because he’s a douchebag!” You exclaimed, as if it was obvious. Falling back against Matt’s side, you tucked an arm around his waist and began marching forward again. “He told me that bullshit story about the Peace Corps, but they don’t accept minors. So he was either lying about that or his age.”

“Why did you talk to him for so long? You had me fooled.” Matt ran a hand over your back, smiling with relief that you hadn’t been as smitten with Jake as he’d assumed.

“I don’t know!” You shoved him lightly as he snorted at your behavior. “I’m awkward, Matty! I kept trying to end the conversation and he just. Kept. Talking. And then I felt bad because he seemed like an ok guy, but then he started getting handsy and I was soooo over it.”

Growling deeply, Matt’s arm tightened around you. “I’m pretty sure everyone in the room was over it at that point.”

You just hummed in thought. “Well it’s a good thing I have my Matt in Shining Armor. Now let’s get you home so you can change.”

“About that..” Matt slowed his pace, not wanting to let you go quite yet. He needed a plan, and fast.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just…I can’t exactly tell, but I assume the shirt is going to stain?”

With a grimace, you traced a finger over the patch the drink had touched. Matt’s light blue shirt wouldn’t stand a chance after 24 hours. “Oof. It’s likely if it’s not treated tonight. That punch was eerily red. Like inedibly vibrant in color. But if you use a stain remover—“

“I don’t have that.” Matt blurted, “I, er, I just really like this shirt,” God, that was the worst excuse he had ever come up with. Nice going, Murdock. “and I don’t want it to stain. Would you, um, could you—“

“Is the great Matthew Murdock asking for my assistance with laundry?” He could hear the smirk you wore. “I thought you were an expert.”

“That’s hearsay.” He objected, teasingly.

You giggled once more. “Well, what kind of person would I be if I let my knight’s shining armor stay tarnished?”

Matt feigned a groan at your cheesy comment. “You know what, on second thought—“ He started to pull away from you, but you held fast.

“Nope! You want to hang out with me even though I say goofy shit. That’s your bad. No turning back now, you’re in too deep, Murdock.”

“Lucky me.” Matt remarked, but there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“C’mon, slowpoke!! Time is of the essence!” You pulled Matt up the last flight of stairs to your loft, laughing as he pretended to go limp so you would drag him further. “Hey! Be careful, trouble, you weigh more than I can handle.”

“Excuses, excuses.” Matt lurched forward, toppling against you as you opened the door. You squealed, but nestled into the contact anyway. The door creaked open and you both shuffled inside, there was no sign of anyone else in the apartment.

“My roommate went out with her boyfriend.” You explained, as if reading his mind. “They usually hang out here but I think they were drinking for free somewhere.”

“Good for them.” Matt snorted, being tugged towards your laundry room.

You instructed him to sit on top of the dryer while you opened the washer. “Your shirt, sir,” Holding out a hand to him, you messed with settings on the machine.

Removing each plastic button from its corresponding fabric loop, Matt was suddenly painfully aware of how intimate the action was. Biting his lip to keep his growing…feelings…at bay, he tried not to dwindle on the fact that you had asked him to undress. In your apartment. Alone.

You may have just realized the tension of the moment as well, heat flooding your body as your movement stilled. In one swift movement, Matt gracefully removed the dress shirt and placed it in your outstretched palm, imaginary sparks cascading up his arm as his fingertips brushed your bare skin.

“Thank you,” You nearly whispered, gaze lingering on his parted lips for a moment too long before you busied yourself at the washer. “Um, Hydrogen peroxide should fix the discoloration. It might smell a little, though. We may need to wash it twice.”

“That’s, uh, that’s fine.” Matt murmured, arousal becoming difficult to ignore.

“I can wash your undershirt too, if you want,” Matt’s skin jumped as your fingers danced over the fabric where the spilled drink had seeped through.

“Yah. Yah, ok.” Your hand rose and fell with Matt’s chest as he breathed. Time had slowed to a crawl, nothing existing outside the little haven you had painstakingly created for him. Tugging the garment up and over his head, he gripped it tightly for a moment before passing it over. “Here.”

You took the fabric gingerly, eyes not straying from his mouth. “Thanks.” Still clenching the shirt in one hand, you cupped his cheek and leaned in. Matt greedily followed your lead, nose bumping against yours for only a second before—

The sound of a door slamming made you both jump apart. Drunken laughter rang throughout the hallway but abruptly stopped as Oscar and Jen took in the scene before them. Eyes flitting between shirtless, panting Matt, and your embarrassed face, it painted quite the picture.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” Jen giggled, pulling Oscar towards her room.

“Carry on, children!” Oscar guffawed, running after her.

Grimacing, you turned back to Matt. “Shit, Matt, I—“

“You know what, I should really get going.” Matt snatched his undershirt from your open hand, sliding off the dryer and beelining for the door.

“Matt, wait!” You called after him, but he was already gone.

Exhaling nervously, you clenched your fingers around the item you held before knocking firmly on the door.

Foggy’s equally anxious face appeared as the door opened. Tension ebbed from his brow slightly as he met your wide eyes. “Well, what do you know!” He greeted you in a loud voice laced with false surprise. “So lovely to see you, my dear. Please, come in.”

Stepping past Foggy with a grimace of a smile, your gaze quickly found Matt—tucked away against his thin headboard, looking like he wanted to vanish into the faux wood.

“Wow, would you look at the time. I really should be going.” Seizing his coat from the bed, Foggy scurried to the door.

“Where are you going?” Matt asked, frantically.

“Out. With, er, my other friends. Bye!” The slam of a door concluded his swift exit.

You avoided looking at Matt, shuffling from foot to foot for a moment before sitting at the edge of Foggy’s bed. The raven-haired boy had a skittish energy, like a feral cat, and you didn’t want to scare him off.

Biting your lip, you desperately scrounged for any remaining courage within yourself, trying to muster up the nerve to break the silence, but Matt beat you to it.

“I’m starting to think you two planned that.” He spoke quietly, toying with a stray thread on his comforter.

You gave a humorless chuckle. “Guess we need to work on our acting skills, huh?”

Matt just grunted. C’mon Murdock, work with me here.

You took a deep breath, “Matt, about Thursday night—“ Your sweet friend interrupted you with a wince.

“I’m sorry.” Matt’s face was practically mournful, but his apology left you confused.

“Sorry for what?” You tilted your head, honed in on him as he curled further into the corner.

“I…I made it weird. I didn’t mean to, it just happened! You were trying to do something nice and then I had to go and ruin it and then your roommates came home and—“

“Oh, Matty,” You launched yourself off of Foggy’s bed and flung your arms around Matt. Startled, he teetered for a moment before returning the hug. “You didn’t ruin anything. We were both…a little tipsy, and it was late. We weren’t acting like ourselves. We can just forget about it!”

Pushing down the disappointment that surfaced at your desire to move past the near kiss, Matt was a bit relieved that you didn’t hate him. “Really?” He asked as you settled against his side, nestling into the arm he threw over you as if you belonged there.

“Of course! If you’re willing, we can move past it.” Then, with a bit more vulnerability, you added, “I care about you a lot, trouble. I’m not going to let a little awkwardness keep us apart.”

Matt smiled as you rested your head against his shoulder, taking a moment to weave your fingers together. He basked in your warmth for a bit before curiosity outweighed his desire to hold you.

“What did you bring with you?” His voice was still soft, tentative, like he was still doubting that you cared for him.

“Oh!” Escaping his grasp, you leapt to grab the crumpled heap of fabric from the other bed. “I brought back your shirt.”

Matt gingerly took the clothing from you, wondering why he hadn’t smelled the strong floral detergent when you came in. Forgetting his manners, he brought the fabric to his face, inhaling deeply before running his fingers over it.

It was soft, more so than when he had worn it last. It held traces of your vanilla soap, and even fainter remnants of tequila and peroxide, but it smelled like…nothing. Or as close to nothing as any porous object could ever get with his delicate senses.

“I, um, I hope it’s ok. I used a new detergent. Fragrance and dye free, supposed to be good for sensitive skin.” You shifted on the balls of your feet, watching him turn the shirt in his grasp .

Taking your hand, Matt tugged you back against his hip, embracing you again. “Thank you.” He struggled to form the words around the lump of emotion in his throat. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Foggy may have mentioned that the clothes we washed last time were giving you a reaction.” You shoved him lightly. “You should have told me!”

Shrugging, Matt sighed. “I didn’t want to be a bother.”

Snuggling in closer, you frowned. “You never bother me, trouble. You ok?”

Matt scrubbed at his eyes hastily, “M’fine.” You clearly didn’t buy his bullshit, but you didn’t call him on it either, simply using a gentle thumb to wipe away a stray tear that his hands missed.

“You don’t have to tell me anything, Matty. But, if you want to, I’m right here.”

Eyes filling with tears again, he stifled a sob, waiting for the ability to pull himself together before he spilled his secrets to you. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get emotional, it’s just—“ Your hand came up to stroke through his hair as a strangled cry broke free. “No one has ever done this for me before. I’m just…not used to it.”

“You’re my best friend, Matt. You deserve to be taken care of, and I’m happy to do it.” Pressing a kiss to his temple, you guided him to your shoulder and simply let him cry.

Tag list: @eugene-emt-roe @abbyhaslongshorts @mrs-bellingham @abucketofweird @yeonalie @jadeunstablexx @spider-murdock

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bambambunny · 2 years ago

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Fatui Cat (Segment Edition!) pt. 2

Once again I am so so sorry it's been a month. I know how annoying it is for chapters to be slow and this one's pretty short. I have no real excuse but pls enjoy.

Warnings: little bit of existential horror, it gets kinda intense pls be advised

Relationships: Platonic segments / gn cat!reader

Summary: you observe the segments and the reality of your situation finally sets in.

Wc: 705

Part 1

---------------------------------------------------

Slowly but surely, everyone settles into the rhythm of their projects. What a lovely introduction, well aside from being dropped but you’re a sturdy little thing. You let your gaze wander from one segment to the next, from your spot by the door. They didn't exactly all look like the Dottore you knew, they were all different ages. To someone who didn't know better, they would have looked like brothers.

There was the oldest looking one, judging by the greying hair and beard, he seemed to be pouring over some dusty tomes. You recall how he gave #7 room to compose himself. He probably wouldn't be too adverse to you being here. Perhaps like Pierro if he wasn't such a sourpuss…

There was a slightly younger clone, maybe 50; You were never good at estimating ages. In your professional opinion, this one would be the dilf of the squad. He’s furiously scribbling on some blue prints and he has several coffee mugs around him.

One segment looks almost exactly like Normal Dottore and he’s tinkering with his own biometrics. Gross. You get that they’re robots or whatever but it looks like he has blood. Ok thats enough! On to the next one...

There's one who looks like he’d be in college, shorter hair and kinda lanky and no eye mask. He has a whiteboard in front of him with a maddening amount of equations. Good god, there's more letters than numbers! You look away before you get an aneurysm.

Another segment, like the one before but even younger, is flitting about his desk stacked with various terrariums. You can't see what sort of animal the terrariums hold from your spot on the floor but you catch a glimpse of some tropical looking leaves and a heat light. He gets something from a minifridge nestled in a corner and retrieves something that looks like mice? You walk a bit closer and notice they’re glowing an unnatural purple. Nevermind.

The electric crackle of a welding machine catches your attention. When you turn to look, there is a teenager working on a massive robot. And it's not just massive to a cat, it's massive. Suddenly it powers up! You dash away to a dark quiet corner.

Everything’s so big and loud and you don't like it! You push yourself further into the corner and hide your face in your own fur.

Your breath starts to hasten.

It feels like you can't breathe.

For the first time, since you got here, you feel scared. You'd been so caught up in the wonder of a world you only ever saw on a screen that it hadn't occurred to you that you were stuck.

You were stuck.

In this world, in this nation, in this palace, in this body.

There is no feasible way to gain back any of the control you once had – back when you were behind a screen, with a simple user interface and a few buttons to press, you can't even have the control of just some normal human!

You're scared and alone in a place you don't fully understand. No matter how closely you hold yourself to familiar characters, they won't really understand what you are or what you've lost.

As of now, you are the only person in this entire world who holds the knowledge of Earth, of its customs…

…of your life.

One day you will forget, and the memory of your humanity will be lost forever.

…

Is this what you wanted?

You are ripped from your thoughts by a gentle but firm hand, it carries you up then presses you to the chest of someone that smells like dust and chemicals. You look up and realise it's the old man.

He pets your head gently, "oh poor thing, did the machines frighten you?

You nudge your head against his hand in conformation. He makes a small hum of consideration then begins to walk to his desk, still holding you.

"I know Prime said not to, but it would not do to leave you like this", he rests you in his lap then continues to mull about his dusty old tomes. He keeps a hand petting your fur until you fall asleep.

---------------------------------------------------

Taglist:

@etherisy @franc-1-s @assassinsnek101

(If you wanna be removed or added to the taglist pls comment)

#genshin impact #genshin #fatui cat #dottore #il dottore #dottore x reader #genshin impact x reader #fatui #segment edition

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stacotto · 2 years ago

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Ok, wow, that episode was soooooooooo fucked up™ and I have so many thoughts™.

First off, absolutely heartbreaking to see Suletta throw herself into The List and taking care of the Greenhouse to cope with the fact that she just lost everything and she blames herself for it all (which hits really fucking close). She thinks she deserves it and I just wanna reach through the screen and tell her it's not her fault at all.

Lauda is still emotionally constipated and can't express gratitude without insulting someone in the process.

Shaddiq really out here proving why the emblem for Grassley Defense Systems is a snake, the bastard. Really hope he dies at Guel's hand, the Akihiro vs. Iok vibes are strong here.

Schwarzette was a Jeturk machine to no one's surprise, origin is cool though, Vim making it behind the scenes (likely ever since cutting a deal with Prospera all the way back in episode 2). I get the feeling Suletta's going to be the one fielding it first.

So two things that really stuck out to me during the Backroom Trio scene, 1). the fact that Peil has an AI decide who's who gives me such Destiny Plan vibes and makes the four CEOs that much creepier, and 2). El5n and Norea need to just bang already.

On Mio's plan to use Aerial as a symbol of de-escalation, I think Luke Skywalker said it best: "This is not going to go the way you think"

And of course, the big reveal: Suletta, and the eleven other consciousnesses inhabiting the GUND bits, are all clones of Eri - the bits to expand her consciousness and autonomy, and Suletta herself to act as an interface to the physical plane. It was legitimately heartbreaking to see that Suletta was effectively "born" the day Eri "died", which horrifyingly reveals that Elnora didn't suddenly just snap the moment Eri's body gave out - she saw it coming and prepared ahead of time. Jesus fucking Christ.

I have thoughts about Eri rejecting Suletta. She's clearly coming from the same "cruel to be kind/break her heart to save her" place as Miorine - she never wanted Suletta to be an accessory to Prospera's revenge from the get-go - but y'all keep throwing her out without a lifeline, and banking on someone else picking up the pieces. I am curious though, to see exactly how much Eri cares about revenge; we know she's in on it - again, she just doesn't want Suletta involved - but from her PoV back in Cradle Planet, she made it seem like she had no choice but to go along with it, so that may provide an interesting turning point, we'll have to see.

There has to be a reason Secilia is on the other side of the confession booth therapy room, hopefully for more than just comedy.

That came out a little more rambly than I anticipated, but man, this episode was a wild ride.

#mobile suit gundam the witch from mercury #g-witch #suletta mercury #g witch #the witch from mercury #g-witch spoilers #miorine rembran #ericht samaya #g witch spoilers

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demifiendrsa · 5 months ago

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youtube

PlayStation 5 Pro Console - Reveal Trailer

youtube

PS5 Pro Technical Presentation hosted by Mark Cerny

PlayStation 5 Pro, an enhanced version of PlayStation 5, will launch on November 7, 2024 for $699.99 / £699.99 / €799.99 / ¥119,980. It will be available as a disc-less console, with the currently available disc drive available as a separate purchase. Pre-orders will begin on September 26, 2024.

First details via The PlayStation Blog

We developed PlayStation 5 Pro with deeply engaged players and game creators in mind—as many have asked for a console that runs even higher fidelity graphics with smoother frame rates at 60 frames per second. We achieved this on PlayStation 5 Pro with several key performance features.

Upgraded GPU – With PlayStation 5 Pro, we are upgrading to a GPU that has 67% more Compute Units than the current PlayStation 5 console and 28% faster memory. Overall, this enables up to 45% faster rendering for gameplay, making the experience much smoother.

Advanced Ray Tracing – We’ve added even more powerful ray tracing that provides more dynamic reflection and refraction of light. This allows the rays to be cast at double, and at times triple, the speeds of the current PlayStation 5 console.

AI-Driven Upscaling – We’re also introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-driven upscaling that uses a machine learning-based technology to provide super sharp image clarity by adding an extraordinary amount of detail.

PlayStation 5 Pro provides gamers with amazing graphics at high frame rates. You can hear Mark Cerny, lead architect for PlayStation 5 Pro, discuss the key innovations from PlayStation 5 Pro in the following video presentation. This presentation provides a deep dive into the key performance features that make PlayStation 5 Pro truly special.

Other enhancements include PlayStation 5 Pro Game Boost, which can apply to more than 8,500 backward compatible PlayStation 4 games playable on PlayStation 5 Pro. This feature may stabilize or improve the performance of supported PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games. Enhanced Image Quality for PlayStation 4 games is also available to improve the resolution on select PlayStation 4 games. PlayStation 5 Pro will also launch with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in territories supporting this standard. VRR and 8K gaming are also supported.

It’s humbling to see how game creators have embraced the latest technology from PlayStation 5 Pro, and several games will be patched with free software updates for gamers to take advantage of PlayStation 5 Pro’s features. These games can be identified with a PlayStation 5 Pro Enhanced label within their title. Some games you can look forward to include blockbuster hits from PlayStation Studios and our third-party partners, such as Alan Wake 2, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Demon’s Souls, Dragon’s Dogma II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Gran Turismo 7, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Crew Motorfest, The First Descendant, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and more.

We kept the look of the PlayStation 5 Pro consistent with the overall PlayStation 5 family of products. You’ll notice the height is the same size as the original PlayStation 5, and the width is the same size as the current PlayStation 5 model to accommodate higher performance specs. Players can add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive, or swap out console covers when they become available.

PlayStation 5 Pro fits perfectly within the PlayStation 5 family of products and is compatible with the PlayStation 5 accessories currently available, including PlayStation VR2, PlayStation Portal, DualSense Edge, Access controller, Pulse Elite, and Pulse Explore. The user interface and network services will also remain the same as PlayStation 5.

The PlayStation 5 Pro console will be available this holiday at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $699.99 USD, £699.99 GBP, €799.99 EUR, and ¥119,980 JPY (includes tax). It will include a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a copy of ASTRO’s PLAYROOM pre-installed in every PlayStation 5 Pro purchase. PlayStation 5 Pro is available as a disc-less console, with the option to purchase the currently available disc drive for PlayStation 5 separately.

PlayStation 5 Pro will launch on November 7, 2024 and will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation at PlayStation Direct. Preorders will begin on September 26, 2024.

Our PlayStation 5 journey would not be possible without the millions of players that have supported us through the years and have shared with us their love of gaming. Whichever console option players choose, whether it’s PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro, we wish to bring everyone the very best gaming experience that fits their needs.

#PlayStation 5 Pro #PS5 Pro #PlayStation 5 #PS5 #PlayStation #video game #hardware

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sk8termikey · 9 months ago

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Chapter 2 of 21 Questions

(better interface on wattpad)

The next morning, Lily was gently woken up by Bernard the cat when he decided to sit on her neck, thus preventing her from properly breathing – this is actually far from gentle but it's her cat so everything is forgiven. When Lily started moving and went to sit up, Bernard simply moved next to her and looked at her as if he hadn't almost killed her. Those far from innocent eyes just made Lily chuckle and sigh – she and Alex were used to that happening from time to time but damn, they never missed it.

As Lily got ready to go to work, she put some music on shuffle and 21 Questions from Waterparks came on. Kind of ironic given that she was literally playing that game the evening before. Hearing this song made her think about the mysterious guy whom she texted and still had not heard from since last night. While Lily hummed to the songs that played in the background, she finished getting ready and headed to the café.

~~~

Lily arrived at the café-bookstore one hour before opening it. She unlocked the door, letting in the first rays of daylight. With Jade and Lucas, they prepared the shop for the day as they restocked shelves and wiped down tables.

As the clock ticked towards opening time, the café started filling up with eager customers. Lily manned the espresso machine, her skilled hands expertly crafting lattes and cappuccinos. Jade served pastries with a warm smile, while Lucas organised the bookshelves, ensuring they were invitingly arranged. The bustling chatter of customers blended with the soft music playing in the background.

~~~

Later, the lunchtime crowd began to arrive, and the trio transitioned from coffee to sandwiches and salads. Lily made her famous sandwiches while Jade and Lucas took orders and made sure everyone was well-fed and content. Amid the clinking of cutlery and the hum of conversation, Lily noticed a regular customer engrossed in a book from one of the shelves, a satisfied smile on their face.

~~~

As the day wound down, the café-bookstore took on a peaceful ambiance. Customers lingered over their books and coffee, savouring the quiet escape from the world outside. Lily, Jade, and Lucas joined them, occasionally offering recommendations or discussing their latest reads.

With the setting sun casting a warm glow through the windows, the trio began to close the shop. They cleaned the espresso machine, restocked shelves, and settled the cash register. As they locked the door behind the last customer, they felt a sense of accomplishment and contentment.

~~~

After the whole day at work, Lily was happy to be back home. It was almost six o'clock when she entered the house and jokingly said:

"Hey babe, I'm home!"

"Hiii girl, how was the day?", Alex asked as she was sitting on the couch.

"It was fine, people still love my sandwiches so that’s enough for me lol", Lily replied. "How was yours?"

"Good as well, but better now that you're here", Alex smiled at her friend. "And even better because the triplets posted a new video not long ago!"

"Which triplets? I feel like you told me about them but I can't recall."

"Okay come here, we'll watch together."

As Lily went to sit beside Alex, the blonde's computer was showing a YouTube channel: Sturniolo Triplets was written on the screen.

"I'm pretty sure I've shown them to you once or twice like on Instagram but I don't think I've made you watch one of their videos. So they're triplets obviously and they are just sooo funny, you have to watch this video because I just know it's gonna be chaotic as always", Alex explained to her best friend.

Alex clicked on the most recent video on the top left of the channel. It was entitled Triplets play WHEEL OF DOOM *matt cries* and it felt really dramatic to Lily as she wasn't convinced by what she was about to watch. Lily was putting all her trust in Alex as the video started but she didn't know what to think as two people were just standing in front of the camera, one of them with a mask on.

"It seems so fucking weird and I'm already regretting this but at least the intro is cool", Lily said. "And I also need you to tell me who is who because they literally look the same."

"Well", Alex started, "that's the whole point of them being triplets lol but after a while it's so easy to differentiate them. So this one is Chris with the longer hair on the left, then in the middle it's Matt and on the right it's Nick with the white shirt."

Lily was still a bit confused because thirty seconds later, they had already changed places. She could only remember that the one in white was Nick but she was quickly giving up on trying to identify Chris and Matt. As Alex had told her, the video was extremely chaotic as Nick was chugging a pepsi which made one of the other two cry in despair. Alex was laughing so hard when Chris had to clean his brother's room and when either of the triplets was forced to have something posted on their Instagram account. Lily was just chilling and smiling while watching her best friend being so happy:

"Honestly I might have to get into them more because they have cool vibes but I'm gonna need you to help me differentiate them like as soon as they wear the same clothes, I'm gonna be so fucking lost."

"Oh my god yes!" Alex was ecstatic with the idea of Lily becoming a fan. "We'll watch the car video together when it comes out, it'll really help you because they have assigned seats."

Lily nodded to that and they kept watching the video as Chris ended up doing the two athletic punishments on the wheel. Then, as the video was nearing to the end, Matt looked like he was eating dog shit when it was only ketchup – which was delicious to the two girls.

"Okayy so," Alex turned to her best friend when the outro played. "What did you think?"

"They actually seem funny so I guess I'll watch the next video with you", Lily shrugged in response.

This made Alex's smile widen as she was getting her best friend to enjoy the same things that she does. It honestly wasn't a surprise as they were in multiple fandoms together but following the Sturniolo Triplets was something that Alex had only been doing for a few months. Therefore, she hadn't tried much to have Lily join her in this fandom, but she was definitely excited that Lily might.

"Ooh I just remembered!" Alex turned to her friend. "Was the last text you sent successful? I feel like you would have complained if it wasn't."

"Yeah oh my god I had forgotten to tell you because I didn't see you this morning". Lily had straight up gone into gossip mode as she turned to face Alex. "Okay so he actually replied pretty quickly and we had time to ask each other three questions I think, until he left me on read when I told him I was a cat person."

"What, is he serious?" Alex asked with disbelief on her face – she was a cat person as well so it felt like a personal attack. "Wait, give me your phone because I need to judge them so much right now."

Lily did as she was told and unlocked her phone for Alex to read the messages from yesterday evening. Alex looked so focused but it made Lily laugh how she would just nod her head to agree with what was happening and smile at something that was funny. As she quickly finished reading the conversation between the two strangers, Alex looked up for the phone and gave her opinion:

"Hmm so he seems nice and as you said, the vibe has been passed and his brother actually seems funnier than him lol but I'm gonna give mystery boy the benefit of the doubt. Are you planning on texting him again?"

"Honestly I don't know, maybe?" Although Lily wished to say an affirmation, it sounded more like a question. "I feel like he was just joking at the end but I don't wanna sound desperate for friends, you know?"

"Yeah, I get you," Alex agreed with the brunette. "What we should do is just ask him if he still wants to play with a cat person, which technically is fun because opposites attract!"

"Ok ok, it's not a bad idea. Just write what you said because I already forgot." Lily chuckled a bit as she gave her phone to Alex.

************

Hi stranger, our convo from yesterday was really nice so I hope you might still wanna play even tho I'm a cat person and you're a dog person but yk what they say: opposites attract :)

Lily was very satisfied with what Alex wrote and it made her think about how supportive she always had been, ever since they met. Lily and Alex had known each other since middle school. However, Alex actually wasn’t really approachable since she didn't like the kids at the school they went to, but Lily had liked her from the very beginning. They became friends when they had needed one day to form groups for an assignment and no one had wanted either of them in their team.

Lily had gathered all her courage and made the first move to go ask Alex if she wanted to be with her, which she had gladly accepted – Alex had always looked so cool to Lily so she had been trying to find the opportunity to be friends with her for a couple of weeks already. Alex realised that maybe, there was one kid at their school who wasn't as bad as the others and as they had started to work together, Lily had noticed how kind-hearted Alex was while Alex saw how passionate Lily could be when talking about the things she cared for. This was the friendship that both of them needed in their life. Thus, since that day, they became the best of friends and the rest is history.

Thank you for reading. Votes and comments are always appreciated if you like this story :) The story is co-written w @/little_grapejuice on wattpad

#chris #chris sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #matt #matt sturniolo #matthew sturniolo #matt sturniolo fanfic #nick sturniolo #nicolas sturniolo #nick stuniolo fanfic #sturniolo fanfic #sturniolo triplets #sturniolo x reader

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disco-elysium-via-polls · 11 months ago

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2. "Is Alec Tricity there? I need to speak with Alec Tricity, please."

PAYPHONE - "No, but I got a feeling Al Kickurass is gonna make an appearance if you ever call this number again. Have a good one, asshole!"

Phone hanging up.

Disconnect tone.

Ok, that's enough-

Put 10 cents in and dial a random number: 005-99-77-313.

[Leave.]

Um. Harry?

PAYPHONE - Calling...

Calling...

Still calling...

*Still* calling…

"Stop calling me, man!" Someone picks up. The voice on the other end is slightly hysterical.

"I'll get you your money, alright? I just need 'til tonight. Let me work."

"Uh… who is this?"

"Yes, but a slight change of plans -- I want this delivered to the Whirling-in-Rags in Martinaise."

"We could all be a bit kinder to each other, don't you think? Consider your debt paid, my friend."

"You seem to be in some sort of trouble. Maybe I can help you, I'm a police officer."

PAYPHONE - "Tethys, I uh..." The young man realises something. "Hey, you're not Tethys! Screw you and don't ever call here again, you're fucking with some *serious* people!"

Disconnect tone.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Khm..." A single *khm* lets you know the lieutenant is ready to move now.

Kim is right. We should stop.

Put 10 cents in and dial a random number: 005-11-11-313.

[Leave.]

PAYPHONE - Calling...

"I'm tired…" A man answers, fast this time. His voice is hoarse from cigarettes. You hear typing in the background.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] - Sounds like he hasn't talked to anyone in quite a while.

"What are you tired of?"

"I'm tired too."

"Is there anything I can do to help you? I'm with the police."

PAYPHONE - "If I could go just one month without writing. No, two months... I could regenerate my brain. Fucking liberalism..."

The man disappears with a sigh.

You do not hear the customary disconnect tone, just silence in the handset -- the machine is still waiting for you to dial a number.

LOGIC [Easy: Success] - Seems like it did not have time to swallow the coin. This sometimes happens.

INTERFACING [Trivial: Success] - Lucky you. The call went too fast for the payphone to register. You can still make a new one without paying.

[Interfacing - Medium 10] Dial a random number -- with your eyes closed.

[Leave.]

+1 White mourning... +1 Smells like betrayal...

We no longer have the thought, but we would also get +1 from Sorry Cop here.

INTERFACING [Medium: Success] - You close your eyes and put your index finger on the rotary dial, then pull down on the number, then move one up and repeat the motion, twice...

Strange. This is not how you started before.

Wait -- what did I just do?

Keep dialling...

Stop!

INTERFACING - You dialled 001. This is not the area code of Revachol. It is another destination -- on another isola. Some far-off nation state.

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - 005 is Revachol ZoC -- 001 is Graad, on the Graadian isola, where the telephone was invented. The next two digits you dial are the area code for the city of Mirova...

Keep dialling...

INTERFACING - 41 -- 44 -- 47 -- the rotary dial feels cold from the sea air.

Keep dialling...

INTERFACING - 11 -- 17 -- 361 -- your fingers keep moving like a spider, every time the ring rotates back with a little ring of metal, like a bell tolling.

There's more?

INTERFACING - Yes. 451 -- 67 -- 451 -- you are going deeper now, into some unknown place. Far away from this island of matter and its telecommunication networks....

Finish it.

INTERFACING - 451 -- you have dialled god knows how many numbers. The headset has been waiting silently to relay a signal -- surely nothing can come of this, you think. But it does. A connection.

PAYPHONE - An ultra-long-distance call. Your ear fills with a crackle, the wash of a strange ocean full of white noise. A little bird starts ringing in there, not like the local calling tone before. No, a small ring in a cage of distortion, far away, a distant network of phones...

Calling...

Calling in the night....

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - The saddest sound in the world.

HALF LIGHT [Medium: Success] - Both pitiful and terrifying. You feel your pulse rising with each ring...

PAYPHONE - Calling still...

ENDURANCE [Easy: Success] - The handset starts slipping from your sweaty palm... your breathing is heavy.

"Kim..."

[Volition - Impossible 18] Hang it up.

Let it call more.

KIM KITSURAGI - The lieutenant is too far away to hear your yelp. The sea wind blows...

2. [Volition - Impossible 18] Hang it up.

VOLITION [Impossible: Failure] - You can't. Some strange force is keeping the headset glued to your hand, your ear listening to the ring in the speaker...

PAYPHONE - Calling...

Calling...

Calling still...

Then the ocean breaks. Out of the depths, a woman's voice emerges. Small. The dearest thing you've ever heard.

PAYPHONE - "Hello." She sounds sleepy.

"Hello."

"I want to die."

"Who is this?"

"I'm a revolutionary servant of humanity. I will free mankind and abolish the classes. I will raise the dead." (Proceed.)

"Your voice is so beautiful."

"Good bye."

PAYPHONE - "Mhm," she hums, her voice warm from sleep.

"Who is this?"

3. "Who is this?"

PAYPHONE - "Dora." She's still confused. "Who is this? The connection is bad..."

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - Dora. The name feels like a *gift*. A gift that was meant for you -- to make it possible to live.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] - In the distorted distance you hear someone turning next to her. Bedsprings rattle.

VOLITION [Easy: Success] - Don't react. Whatever you do, don't react to that last thing.

"Is someone *there*?"

Don't react.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) - It doesn't matter if you react or not. You still think you hear a *man's* voice in the background. It's covered in pain and white noise...

2. "I want to die."

PAYPHONE - "What?" It takes a second for her to realize what you said.

"I don't know why I said that."

"Your voice makes me want to turn into dust."

"I want to live -- with you..."

PAYPHONE - "Oh no... is that you?" Her voice sounds like she's waking up now. Still plaintive, tired...

CONCEPTUALIZATION [Medium: Success] - This is too much... You need to recede...

"A creature is a creature. I wish I was the wind."

"No."

PAYPHONE - "Oh no, not this... what time is it?"

5. "Your voice is so beautiful."

PAYPHONE - "No-no..." She's waking up now. "It's *you*, isn't it? It's you..."

6. "Good bye."

PAYPHONE - A sigh. She heard you, but she does not hang up. And neither do you. You can't.

4. "I'm a revolutionary servant of humanity. I will free mankind and abolish the classes. I will raise the dead." (Proceed.)

PAYPHONE - "You're not a revolutionary, Harry... You're drunk."

-1 Morale

LOGIC [Medium: Success] - You only have two, maybe three things left to say before the change runs out.

"Harry? How do you know my name?"

"Harry? Who's Harry -- are you sleeping with him? I'm also Harry!"

"I'm not drunk."

"Okay I'm drunk, what does it matter? I'm still *me*!"

"I'm not drunk -- I'm *high*."

"I'm not drunk or high, I'm just... hurt... why does it hurt to talk to you?"

PAYPHONE - "Because it's me... Look, I don't understand what you're saying or why you're calling me. You seem drunk."

4. "I'm not drunk or high, I'm just... hurt... why does it hurt to talk to you?"

PAYPHONE - "Oh god..." There's silence, it's heavy as tin. The white noise howls.

"Hey."

"Ooo... are you there?"

Say nothing.

PAYPHONE - "Do you know what time it is? It's so late here..." Sounds like she's looking for a clock on the night stand.

"It's four o'clock, Harry! I need to wake up in two hours."

It's four o'clock there regardless of what time you call. Blame it on entroponetics, I guess.

"Do you want to party?"

"I want to talk about me. Who am I? You sound like you know me."

"You're in Mirova, right?"

"Where are you going in two hours?"

"I am the law. I'm a detective. I'm doing a case. There's a hanged man."

"Is someone there with you?"

(Hang up.)

PAYPHONE - "No, I want to go to sleep..."

2. "I want to talk about me. Who am I? You sound like you know me."

PAYPHONE - "What do you want to talk about? That we haven't talked about already..."

ENDURANCE [Legendary: Failure] - This is bad, you feel your right hand on the handset cramping up with pain...

-1 Health

3. "You're in Mirova, right?"

PAYPHONE - "Yes, I'm in Mirova. Sleeping."

4. "Where are you going in two hours?"

PAYPHONE - "To work."

"Where?"

Say nothing.

PAYPHONE - "The Academy. Where I work."

"The Academy? That sounds better than my job. I'm happy."

"My job is sad and terrible. It has dead bodies in it."

"Pfft, Academy... my job is *real*."

PAYPHONE - No response, only a sigh. The connection crackles, like burning paper.

-1 Morale

VOLITION [Easy: Success] - What are you doing to yourself right now?

I'm making a funny prank call.

Catastrophic damage.

I don't know... I don't understand what's happening.

VOLITION - You need to stop. Harry. You're killing yourself.

*Can* we?

6. "My heart hurts. I'm gonna have a heart attack."

PAYPHONE - "Oh no... please stop. Please let's just hang up..."

7. "Is someone there with you?"

PAYPHONE - "Yes."

5. "I am the law. I'm a detective. I'm doing a case. There's a hanged man."

PAYPHONE - She does not answer anymore.

"I'm gonna solve it."

"It doesn't matter. This case doesn't matter."

"None of it matters -- not anymore."

"Can you help me solve it? I need to solve it. They won't take me back if I don't."

PAYPHONE - "Harry..."

Disconnect tone -- the machine ran out of money.

Put 10 cents in and dial the long phone number again.

[Leave.]

#disco elysium #kim kitsuragi #harrier du bois #dora ingerlund

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