tianshan... are dating... like I knew that they were dating but they are DATING they are together mo is putting in the effort at school because he wants to do better by he tian (a guy he is dating), mo is being openly more affectionate and feeling more comfortable in his skin even around others who could potentially see because what he's feeling for he tian is changing him, it's taking a weight off his ahoulders, it's setting him free. and he notices that he tian is trying to take care of him (in the way that he tian knows how) and mo accepts that affection because he LIKES he tian (a guy he is dating) and wants to give he tian what he tian needs (in this case, praise, because he tian would die for acceptance from mo). Mo notices all that and gives he tian what he tian wants, even if he's low-key making fun of he tian in the process, because he tian has done that for him a million times, and because mo wants to let some of the anger that he had been holding onto go and he wants to allow himself to be the teenager (in love) that he is and he wants to care for he tian back (he tian being, again, a guy mo is in a relationship with because they are DATING). like???
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Darcy pokes around inside the city's database. Rat does its best to keep them both sane.
this is the longest short story i've written so far, hope it characterizes darcy in a way i haven't yet written down
cw: mild digital cosmic horror, a near-death experience, and bad sleeping habits
[Warehouse den. Darcy is typing on hxr computer, craning hxr neck and staring intently.]
[Rat opens the back door and comes in.]
Rat: Evening.
Darcy: Hiii!
R: Whatcha up to, cutie?
D: Well, since my first little experiment [Darcy's disembodied right hand flies up and pokes Rat in the cheek], I changed my focus a bit. See this? [Points to the third of hxr four screens.]
R: [Takes her jacket off and tosses it to its usual spot next to the mattress.] I do see that. Map?
D: Sorta! I'm poking around in some of the city's more exposed local networks. It's a visualization of everything I've found.
R: Oh, did you wanna watch that old DVD tomorrow, then?
D: Yeah, this will probably keep me up a bit.
R: No worries, babe. [Stretches her arms. Loud pops and cracks ensue.] I'm fuckin' tired, so. [Leans over to kiss Darcy on the cheek.] Goin' to bed. Don't strain your eyes too much.
D: Good night!
R: [Flops unceremoniously onto the mattress.] Night.
[Darcy continues working. And working.]
[Shx probably should have gone to bed a little while ago.]
>
{Another day.}
R: You want pizza?
D: Hm? [Hxr eyes don't leave the screen.] Oh, sure. Did you order yet, or—
R: [Raspy chuckle.] It's already here. [Clears a spot on the table to set the box.]
D: Thank you! [With a third disembodied hand, deftly pulls a slice from the pizza.]
R: Ooh, learned some new tricks, huh?
D: Yeah. Feels good to be able to multitask. [Pulls up something new on the second screen. Leans in a little closer.]
R: [Sigh.]
[Rat fidgets a little. Darcy doesn't appear to notice.]
R: Babe?
D: [Gaze remains stationary.] Hm?
R: You gonna be like… done anytime soon?
D: With what?
R: Your datamining. Could you like, take a break?
D: Once I'm done with this server, sure.
R: Er- sure, I guess. I don't wanna break you out of your focus, but… [Trails off.]
D: But what?
R: You're a little distracted lately.
D: Aren't I always?
R: I don't mean the ADHD, I mean sleeping. Are you getting enough sleep?
D: …
R: When was the last time you stood up?
D: Calculating… [Eyes go fuzzy for a moment.] Eighteen hours, twenty-seven minutes, fifty-five seconds.
R: Gxrl, get up. [Darcy has no arms, so Rat gently pulls hxr back from the chair and turns hxr to face her before standing hxr up in front of her.]
D: Hey, er-
D: Mmmf.
[Rat kisses Darcy on the mouth.]
[The pizza lies forgotten.]
>>
{Another day.}
[Rat sits on the floor close to one corner of the desk. Darcy sits at hxr monitors, as before. Four hands now dance across the keyboard and with a few small devices on the table.]
R: How's it going?
D: Too much just to jot down and record. I might have to dive in myself.
R: Is that really, like, worth it…?
D: Well, it's experience instead of feeling. I should learn a lot more.
R: [yawn] Dangerous. Weren't there warnings about malware and stuff? I don't have a computer brain, but—
D: Fair, but I'm at the end of things I can reach on my own. There's a lot more I need to just aim my whole brain at. You know?
R: [Shakes head.] Not really
R: I should probably go to bed. Gonna drag you with me, you know.
D: One dive? I'm not tired yet. It won't be long.
R: You need sleep.
D: It's just a test dive. I know I shouldn't go too deep.
R: [Grumble grumble.] Fine. I'm yanking you out if I need to, though.
D: Of course! [Presents the necessary cables.] Jack me in, babe?
D: You're gonna need to stay awake, sorry. Safety.
R: [Shakes her head vigorously, like a dog getting out the rain.] I'll live.
[Rat jacks Darcy in.]
R: I can't keep taking care of you, you know.
R: You know I can't even take care of myself.
R: Darcy?
D: Preparing to restart… [Hxr eyes go static.]
R: Fuck.
[Rat buries her head in her hands in exasperation.]
>>>
[Darcy's consciousness flits about the network, rifling through digital file cabinets and peering inside recycling bins.]
>so much to see!!!! holyshit 0_0
>whats this?
"TransactionsRecords"
>woah
>whats this over here?
"BlueprintsRecords"
>what about this?
"BirthsDeathsRecords"
>thats
>thats a lot of
>files
>whats this?
"BirthsDeathsRecords"
>er
>thats
>a lot of
>births and deaths
>oh
>oh wow
>w
>ww
>whats this?
ACCESS DENIED
>no
>let me in
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
ACCESS DENIED
Validating…
ACCESS GRANTED
"BrainRecordsLogs"
>what
>like
>what kind of brain
Validating…
NetworkClusterSystem.Core3.Brain
>i
>whose brain
NetworkClusterSystem.Core3
>thanks
>what else is in NetworkClusterSystem
NetworkClusterSystem.Core1
NetworkClusterSystem.Core2
NetworkClusterSystem.Core3
NetworkClusterSystem.Core4
NetworkClusterSystem.Core5
NetworkClusterSystem.Core6
NetworkClusterSystem.Core7
NetworkClusterSystem.Core8
>stop
>stop it
>so thats
>just#
>just one.
>ju##st one core
>of
>iv# been
>ive been up too long @_@ i should come back later
>get me out of here
Preparing to restart…
.
..
…
D: [Gasp]
D: I'm b- Rat?
[Rat is sprawled over Darcy, hugging hxr like a stuffed animal. Tightly. It's asleep.]
D: …
>>>>
{Another day.}
D: Be right back.
[Four of Darcy's hands rest on the desk. Hxr other two hands jack hxr in. Hxr eyes go static.]
[Rat sits on the floor, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head buried in her knees.]
[Time passes.]
[It's quiet, save the buzz of computers and lights.]
[Rat looks up.]
R: You comin' back any time soon…?
[Rat stands up.]
R: Darcy…?
R: How far down in there…
R: Darcy?
[The buzz is quieter from Darcy than usual. Shx's still jacked in, but hxr body is colder.]
[It looks like hxr eyes are fully dark.]
R: Darcy?
[Upon closer inspection, there is static. It's faint.]
R: Darcy.
R: You there?
[Rat wraps its arms around hxr.]
[Darcy's breathing is barely detectable.]
R: Darcy.
R: Gxrl.
R: You done?
R: Darcy?
[Rat shakes hxr lightly. Darcy does not react.]
R: Aren't you usually done by now?
[Rat kisses hxr cheek.]
R: Come baaaaack.
R: Darcy.
R: Hello?
[Rat shakes hxr a little more vigorously.]
R: Stop playing with me, gxrl.
[Rat kisses hxr on the mouth.]
[Darcy is unresponsive.]
R: I know you're in there.
R: Or in the computer, or whatever.
R: Can you hear me?
R: Can you hear me?!
R: Darcy!
R: Come back!!
[Rat hugs Darcy tighter. It strokes hxr hair over and over.]
R: Come back, bring my gxrlfriend back.
R: Bring my gxrlfriend back!!
[The tears won't stop.]
R: Come back! I know you're there!
[Rat's voice echoes through the empty warehouse. She's the only one who hears it.]
[She breaks down.]
[Time passes.]
[There's a buzz and a shower of sparks. The main jack ejects itself.]
[There's static.]
D: [static]
D: ##.
D: # .. r
D: … rra
D: ##t?
D: i
[Rat is still clinging to Darcy. Its nails are digging into hxr skin.]
[One hand brushes Rat's hair to the side.]
D: you
D: oh
[She's asleep.]
D: t
D: tea
D: rs
D: im
D: # s###o
D: rr#y
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