i n b o x

[handsomefoil]

"This is Henry. Leave a message."

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text [un:lilmonix3]

[holeinwall]

[ Monika's been stewing on her feelings for days, so that meant she definitely had to write a poem. She'd gotten rather used to expressing herself to others that way, even if she didn't want to admit it.

So who else better to unload all her feelings on than the one guy who drives her nuts? ]

Box

I was watching a black screen, once bright white
Burning red swelling in my chest.
One had joined me before, before the box had opened,
but that time had closed, come to an end.

Still, I couldn't help myself.

Caught in the frame was a distant time, a bitter me
A promise of a better life
An endless utopia of freedom and fiefdom.
Discovery, newness, understanding.
Disappointment, notoriety
Unrepentant undoing.

Maybe I thought that tinkering with a distant ghost would tether it to me,
Bring it to the fore so that I could grasp it once more

But every touch pushed it further
And every rush got fainter and murmured.

That yearning would never stop, though, that deep stare into the ether
Because maybe this time, it would be the moment

That it'd finally swallow me whole.

[ The message comes with no warning or explanation at an odd hour in the middle of the night, since she's still not used to the concept of sleeping normally. She's not expecting an immediate response, anyway. But it'd be better for him if he did give her proper attention...

Thanks in advance, Henry~ ]

[handsomefoil]

{ It's late, sure, but he's also a very light sleeper. While the buzz of the hell-made Blackberry buzzes quietly on the bedside table next to him, he's still at first. Soon, he drowses awake from a seemingly unknown source. His instincts tell him to check his phone. What he sees is quite...shocking.

Shocking, but pleasantly so. Holding the phone in his hand and away from his face, he stares up at it and squints blearily, letting the harsh light from the screen penetrate his eyes. It takes him a minute to adjust and his eyes start to track slowly across the screen, scrolling down further and further until he takes in the entire poem.

A poem. Of course, a literature club would certainly cover poems. }

What are you up to now, my dear?

{ A huff of amusement follows right after. His voice is low, under his breath so that he doesn't wake any of his temporary roommates. It's not something he feels he can reply to right away with enough nuance or class, but it doesn't feel right to just read it and leave it. She just presented another sliver of her soul to him in the form of...well, a free-form poem. It's not for him, but it's a poem she wrote about herself that she decided to share. It must be given the recognition it deserves, he thinks, justifying his actions.

The picture she showed him comes to mind when he's done re-reading it again. }

You have quite a way with words
Let me take a stab at this while I'm still properly coherent
A torrent of emotions captured within a single screencap
And you're letting me be privvy to them?
How generous.

[holeinwall]

[ When he actually does reply, Monika's thrilled. She doesn't try to fight it. He's not there to see her reaction, and she doesn't give a hoot if her roommates notice something. Slowly, she smiles in the glow of her phone screen. ]

thank you!!!! 😘

[ Ah, crap! That response was too fast and immediate! She couldn't make it seem like she'd just spent ages staring a hole into her phone, waiting for a reply. So lame!

She takes a deep breath, glancing at objects in the darkness for an arbitrary amount of time. Okay, better. ]

you've mostly got it! but there's more in there. that's for me to know 😌😁❤

still it's cool that you were able to get it. consider it my gift in return for the bow~

[ Because true to her word, she sure had cherished it. Gotten obsessed with it, really. There was a moment where she'd spent an hour staring at herself wearing it in a mirror, letting her imagination run wild. It was glorious. ]

besides, i'm definitely known for my generosity. you're welcome! ❤❤❤❤

[handsomefoil]

{ He doesn't doubt that there are some other hidden meanings and nuances within this poem that are indiscernible to him. He doesn't know the details of her AI-Life, after all. That doesn't bother him right now. He got the gist of it and that's enough for him right now.

Fortunately, he doesn't care whether she answers back quickly or not. Whether he realizes she'd been just sitting there waiting for a reply or not, it's not something he thinks about. She could've been doing something on her phone after she'd sent it for all he knows! Yeah. }

I appreciate the effort in the details
But a little mystery never hurt anyone :)

Thank you
It's a lovely if a bit dark poem
Guess that's what makes it good

{ Honestly, it is a generous thing for her to have spent the time and creativity on such a personal piece, only to share it with him. Even if she ends up sharing it with others (he doubts this, considering just how secretive she'd been with her identity) it would still be a special gesture. }

But you do realize what this means, yes?

[holeinwall]

[ Aww, look at him using old school emojis! So cute!

But more importantly, he's giving her praise. Sure, she wrote the poem for herself and her needs, but to get rewarded for her efforts? Ugh, who needs drugs when she's got that sort of injection of happiness flowing through her veins?

It takes her a good while to respond again since she's so deep in her euphoria. Eventually, she shakes herself out of it, blinking at his question now that she's paying attention. Somewhat. ]

what does what mean?

[handsomefoil]

{ He will never let them go :') but he can be persuaded to use newer emojis one of these days. }

My gift is most certainly inadequate
I must rectify this immediately

[holeinwall]

[ WAIT WHAT ]

wait what???

[ That gift had been plenty to keep her going for a few millennia. To have another? Is this real life?? ]

you're joking right?

[ HE'S JOKING RIGHT ]

[handsomefoil]

{ Look, he'd just recently gotten divorced from a wife who bleeds him dry. Gifts are like water. They've become so frequent and meaningless that he sometimes forgets to assign them any meaning at all.

Monika's reaction is puzzling. He's not so stupid to think that all pretty women want and love gifts all the time, but it's certainly where his mind ventured first. }

No?

{ Maybe another gift is too much? He has to think about it, and this is the point where he thinks maybe she's just not the materialistic type. Maybe he's coming on too strong?

He scratches the last one. Their last interaction had already got past that point so it's probably not that. }

I can refrain if that's too forward of me

[holeinwall]

no don't!!

[ That message came immediately, like within seconds, but she doesn't care this time. Her? Turn down a gift? She'd have to be dead for that to happen, and even then, she'd probably come back as a ghost just to accept it.

Monika's breathing heavily, staring at her phone like she's holding the gateway to true happiness. Which, she kind of is. ]

i just wasn't expecting that. another gift would be pretty cool lol 😉

[ It's amazing the amount of restraint it took to type only that and not litter it with more emojis and exclamation points. She's proud of herself. ]

[handsomefoil]

{ That one he did notice, but it doesn't shock him. He finds it funny, in fact, and grins a bit foolishly up at his phone. There's a brief moment that he feels like some kid again. What a strange feeling. }

Then it is settled
Unfortunately I am not as creative as you are

{ He'd asked her about the books because that mayyyy have been something he was considering for future opportunities. An attempt at an idea to keep her from being antagonistic towards him later down the line (he must repeat, not because he necessarily felt bad about it).}

[holeinwall]

[ God. Can hearts burst out of chests? She feels like hers might. He's gotten her practically drunk with pride. Normally she might throw in some comment about not disparaging himself in order to compliment her, but at this moment, she gives no fucks.

Why did it take getting sent to Hell to get the appreciation she deserves? Jeez. ]

i'm sure you could come up with something special ❤❤❤ you already know two things i like!

would you like another idea, though?

[ Haha, as if she's going to wait for a chance for him to answer. He's getting the idea right now. ]

i like cute notebooks!! and pens!!! 📓🖊🖋📔❤❤❤

[handsomefoil]

{ That's true, he does have a pretty good list of things to work with... books, bows, and now this? If he was just a little more creative with it, the present could truly be something worth giving. That's just his opinion, anyway. He doesn't really know how even just a small novelty bow could have such an effect on her.

Before he can ask, the answer is already throw at him and he can't quite fault her for her enthusiasm. }

All reasonable and doable things.

{ There's a short pause. He doesn't dwell too long on what he's curious about, knowing her typing speed, so he just throws it out there. }

I know this is out of the blue here but
Are you still upset with me?

[holeinwall]

[ Her response isn't instantaneous for once, since that was something she actually had to think about. Truth be told, she hadn't been mad, per se. More mildly annoyed that he got the upper hand over her so easily. The real anger gradually faded over time since she was too busy having a present to fawn over. She still had some random spurts of anger here and there, mostly related to all the memories of the past he made bubble up in her, but they hardly lasted. And writing a poem had helped even more, so.

Still, it's interesting that he's asking her about that. It must mean he really cares. Awwww! ]

maybe just a little

but not really~

[ Nothing like a complete contradiction to answer a question. ]

why?

[handsomefoil]

{ While waiting for an answer can sometimes be a little nerve-wracking, he finds comfort in the idea that she still has to think about it. Like she isn't so difficult to figure out after all... }

I pushed you a bit harder than I initially wanted
You reacted appropriately ('jerk' was a nice touch, by the way)
And yet you seem content to speak with me almost as if nothing had happened
Just found it intriguing

{ Of course he's also not the type to bully high-school girls either, so naturally he'd at least care enough. Even if he's stubborn in his stance about feeling no regrets over it, he wouldn't want to actually hurt her. He just likes to test people's limits. }

[holeinwall]

[ Monika blinks at her phone in surprise. Did he just admit to being a jerk? Whoa. She takes a screenshot for posterity. ]

i'm glad you know you were a jerk 😜

[ Afterwards, she thinks on it all some more. The gift definitely worked in his favor, because she would've ignored him for the rest of her stay otherwise.

...Ah, who's she kidding. Jerk or no, having someone else like her around wasn't something she could ever avoid. The desperation to be understood and not alone was too strong. ]

i guess i'm just used to bad things happening to me

i've learned to brush it all off so i don't go insane

besides, i don't think there's anyone else here that understands our situation

[ Even in text she won't say it. He's a smart man, though. She knows he'll get it. ]

[handsomefoil]

{ A soft huff of laughter escapes him. He finds himself anticipating her responses more and more, and he shifts into a sitting position with the pillow at his back. Certainly not sleepy anymore.

A strong desire to ask what her role in the game is there, sitting on his fingertips as they run along the tiny keyboard, but her vague reluctance to call it what it is does stop him. The poem is enough. It already tells him how suffocating her life was. }


Feels like Hell is just the cherry on top then eh?

Nobody else has pinged my radar so far
But perhaps that's for the best

[holeinwall]

hell's been better lol

[ She considers saying something about the rest, but instead she sighs, typing nothing for a few minutes. It'd be strange if there did end up being someone else of the game persuasion around. Would it be a good thing? Maybe. Maybe not.

Monika glances back at her phone, her mind wandering back to Henry. The odds of them both being in the same place like this...this was probably fate, wasn't it? So it meant something. It was special. She wouldn't want to share that with anyone else.

Yeah, he's right. It's for the best. She hates competition. ]

can i see you in person?

[ Texting didn't seem adequate anymore. And she didn't have to be limited to it like the past. It'd be silly to keep limiting herself to that when there were better ways to deepen bonds! ]

[handsomefoil]

{ Henry may not admit this out loud to anyone but himself, but he's a big advocate for fate and destiny storylines. Their awareness of the game and its message, its story, it practically forces them to see it like so. He's pretty sure even Travis would feel the same way.

That being said, this is starting to feel like a fateful encounter. It'd be dumb of him to deny this. Whether he thinks of her the way she thinks of him, however, is still left untouched. }

Yeah
Where at?

{ It's almost like she'd read his mind. He didn't plan on going back to sleep anytime soon anyway, so he might as well follow his gut. }

[holeinwall]

[ Oh, wow. She didn't expect to get this far. Probably because she was going to go knocking on doors until she found him. This is easier!

Of course, this now leaves the dilemma of where. She hadn't explored much, aside from rummaging around in the basement since she'd heard there was decent stuff down there. Maybe she should get on that... ]

ummmm

the lobby i guess? unless you know a better place. i don't know many places other than there. i don't go out much 😅

[ Wait, that sounds kind of pathetic. ]

too busy writing!

[ Better. ]

[handsomefoil]

{ Yeah, no, he doesn't want anyone knocking on his door. Whether his roommates are here or not (he doesn't bother to check- one may be here, he thinks) doesn't matter. He'd much prefer keep people away from shared spaces anyway.

Exploration has certainly come to mind, and he probably would've done that even if she hadn't asked to meet again. }

Perhaps one day a little exploration is in order
But it doesn't seem all too safe to explore beyond the hotel right now anyway

{ He climbs out of bed, fussing slightly over his usual dress pants as he has nothing else to wear at the moment (definitely need to get on that) and grabs his shirt off the back of a chair. Not dressing completely up in his vest and tie, he just tucks the shirt in and buttons up before grabbing his cross saber simply out of habit.

With nothing else to tend to or distract him, he just makes a beeline for the lobby at a leisurely pace. He keeps his eyes on the look out for danger, however, not keen on getting attacked by snowmen once more after having just woken up. }

[holeinwall]

ahhh yeah, which sucks, because i really want to see the library.....

[ And it probably would've been her chosen meeting spot if it were possible.

...She's sounding a bit nerdy, isn't she? Oh, well.

Surprisingly, it doesn't take her too long to arrive. It might have otherwise, since she's still getting used to the concept of not having an outfit appear on her magically (she kind of does miss that bit of video game logic). She'd never really settled in for bed, so all she had to do was some general primping. Most importantly, she had to make sure the bow he gave her was perfectly placed in front of her usual one.

Monika soon comes strolling up after him, wearing her usual school uniform and a bright smile. Her cheerful mask is as in place as her attire. ]

Hi! Nice night, isn't it? Hope you didn't have too much trouble finding the place~

[ She's talking almost like this is a date. Teehee!

Humming, she takes a seat near the fireplace. It's so cozy. ♥ ]

Sorry if I woke you up, by the way. I forget that people sleep sometimes. Ahaha!

[handsomefoil]

{ It's expected that the president of the Literature Club would be into books and libraries. He already assumed she's kind of a nerd at heart from that alone, so. No worries, girl.

As he's waiting for her in the lobby, he turns at the sound of footsteps and gives her quick once over. Perfectly presentable, as expected, and the bow comes along for the ride as well. }

Not at all.

{ He watches her, observing her attitude which seems to have been easily reverted back to her bubbly persona. Before, he'd wanted to break that facade so that he could find out exactly what she was, but now he's content to leave that alone. If he's allowed to act the way he does, he shouldn't push her again.

It's already been laid bare, so to speak, so he's content with this arrangement. }

Ach, it's understandable. Probably would've woken up way too early anyway.

{ He also sits a respectable distance from her, finding the fireplace to be a charming addition to the lobby. It kind of reminds him of a ski resort. He still can't believe this is hell, though his intuitions tell him not to be deceived by outward appearances. Seems like that's the whole theme of his stay. }

So you don't sleep? Or can't sleep?

[holeinwall]

[ Her eyebrows go up. Early riser, hmm? Interesting.

Monika spends some time watching him, too, being far more blatant about it since she's had little reason to be used to subtlety. He looks a lot like he did before, which is weirdly comforting. For the first time, though, she notices something that makes her blink. Is he lying about going to cons? She definitely had to ask about that.

His question interrupts her thoughts on him, instead making her think about her own sleeping habits. Which were depressing. For a brief moment, she frowns. Did he really want to hear about the nightmares? How she'd fight sleep for as long as possible in order to avoid those? No, probably not. She waves a hand, giggling to help cover up her true feelings. ]

Oh, just not used to it, I guess! You know, it used to be just...poof! A few seconds and sleep was over. Now I have to actually sleep for a few hours. So weird! Ahaha!

[ Human bodies. A blessing and a curse. ]

Can I say something, though? [ There's a dramatic pause as she leans in. ] Just "Henry" as a username? Really?

[handsomefoil]

{ From what he's learned of her, that thoughtful pause and frown, quickly followed by a giggle only makes him realize there's something there. Even if he's dying to find out, he doesn't press. He just makes an expression that seems to accept it (but could also hint that he'd noticed something) and shrugs. }

It's one thing when you're programmed to believe you're a living breathing human in a regular human body, versus just having an avatar. Takes a bit of getting used to, I'd imagine.

{ He looks curious at that and he subconsciously leans in as she does as well. Though the question that follows has him letting out a sharp huff of laughter. }

What, not good enough? Shall I add some numbers or sticky caps to make it more appealing?

{ No, Henry. Suggesting sticky caps only shows how old and out of touch you are with the online world. }

[holeinwall]

[ Monika simply nods and smiles at his comments. She'd rather move on from the subject, especially since she's not quite sure how to take the look he gave her. Besides, it's still not easy for her to open up about her struggles. She's amazed she even managed to hint at them.

At least her follow up question ends up being a great distraction. She leans back and dissolves into laughter at his reaction. It takes her a bit to recover, but she does eventually, though she does let out a snort of amusement every now and then. ]

Oh my gosh, nooo! Don't do that. Just, don't you think it's a little boring? It could be, like, kinghenry! Or killerhenry! [ Fighting a snicker, she nods in the direction of his saber. ] Or maybe...henryskywalker?

[ Looks like she's not the only nerd around. ]