My beloved monster and me

[oneagainstall]

Who: Gren and Misty
Where: The lake
When: 25/10
Rating: Likely some swearing and probably some smoochin'
Summary: Two swamp people attempt to have a normal date
The Story:

Gren really isn't equipped for romance. Not that he can't have romantic feelings, of course, Misty is living proof of that- he's just not much experienced in that area. His life has always been pretty simple, from eldritch Nordic swamp horror to the short, angry guy that haunts dive bars. Simple, easy, keeping everyone bar the people he cares about the most at arms length.

But now there's Misty, and he's equal parts happy he has her and terrified he's going to do something to fuck this up. He's taken Shawn's advice (for better or for worse) for a good first date and set up a picnic by the lake. Of course, he has no idea what Misty likes to eat, so he's gone with a mixture of everything and just hoped for the best. He's set up a blanket- for her benefit more than his own - and even managed to drag a few candles, some wine and a frazzled-looking boombox out of his closet.

"God. This looks fuckin' awful."

Still, he's done what he can, sends her a message of where to meet him, and spends the rest of his time staring at his poor attempt at a picnic, waiting for her to arrive.

Comments

[oneagainstall]

"Heh, duly noted."

Dealing with that shit when it happens sounds like the best plan. At least right now. It's for Future Gren to worry about. He chuckles, mostly for the comment, but that nose wrinkle is fucking adorable and the thought actually bubbles a laugh out of him.

"Tell me about it. What the fuck was the point of the acid? What is that even for?"

[twirlier]

"Well, destruction," she says, smirking. "But ... just imagine what their world is like. I think about that a lot when these things happen. Are they singular event? Do they live with them all the time?"

She shakes her head, thinking about that. "You know someone told me that instead of phones they have snails. Snails that follow them and communicate with others. Snails!"

[oneagainstall]

"I dunno, maybe? It's based on memories, right? Could be they just had one really fuckin' nasty-ass acid-rat plague once or something."

That's...pretty insane. The snail thing. The Homelands have some really weird shit in them, but not even they have snail phones.

"Shit. So it's literally snail mail. I think we got a winner for Most Fucked Up World."

[twirlier]

"If I'd had that, I would want them to take that memory," she says, shuddering as her arms tighten a bit around Gren's neck just to think about it.

She can't help but to giggle at that, canting her head slightly to meet his gaze, grinning. "Imagine it though. Like they have phones in their shells and follow you. I mean, it might be cute... also walking up in the middle of the night though." So very creepy then, in her book.

[oneagainstall]

"Yeah, I'd say that one is well worth going into the 'fuck it all, I don't want to remember this shit' pile."

They probably won't forget the rats though. They probably lost something actually important. Because Wonderland is a nasty little bitch. He chuckles.

"Jesus, just sitting there on your pillow with a trail of slime on it, staring at you with their weird fuckin' stalk eyes."

[twirlier]

"See, I wondered why they didn't offer to take memories, based on us picking them. They can have all my memories of Hell, for one," she points out, more than willing to give that. Just so long as she could give that and no more. Or at least pick the more. "Though..."

She pauses, considering her words a minute. "I admit, I've considered what it would be like to be here long enough to forget my past and only know this place. I know that wouldn't work for many but for me? I can try and imagine why Alice is still here and how much she's lost and maybe she's okay with it."

Because out in the woods, she's had a lot of time to think about it.

But then she's laughing, because that is the thing she needed to break that mood. "Oh. God. Gren. Oh my." She giggles, pressing her face to his shoulder.

[oneagainstall]

"Guess that's too easy for them. They probably want us to lose shit we don't want to lose. Good memories sound like they'd be better power than ones we don't wanna keep."

He's guessing largely, from what little he understands about magic already.

"I dunno, it always seems like a big risk. Memories are what make us, right? We lose them, even the shitty ones and...yeah, we lose a piece of ourselves. But then, you ain't exactly got much to go back to, I could get why you wanna stick here."

Wonderland has to be better than Hell, right? He's happy to make her laugh, though, chuckling himself.

"I wonder if they got super fast ones for priority mail."

[twirlier]

"Then you'd hope the events were better," she says, rolling her eyes though she's happy with this. That they can have these talks and dance, and just spent time together. For her this is all intimate and perfect and everything she might have wished for in all her life.

She nods then, even with the talk going to that it isn't enough to ruin this for her. "There has to be others in the same place as me as well. I would run this place on my own if it means the others were saved from it all." Because that's the woman she is, and what she believes in for others.

And that is a huge part of why this is amazing to her, and perfect. Giggling at that, glancing away as she tries to imagine it. "What is a fast snail? Like speed walking?"

[oneagainstall]

"You'd think that, but I guess the chance to be dickheads about all of this is too much to ignore."

But it did give him this. Her. As much as he bitches and complains about Wonderland, without it, he'd of never met Misty. They wouldn't of had this. He smiles faintly.

"Well, if anyone could do that, I'd put my money on it being you."

She'd for sure get them to fix all their bullshit and just start acting like goddamn adults or something. It'd be something he'd pay good money to see.

"Maybe they put like.. a single rollerskate on it. So it could just speed along on its little wheels, or some shit."

[twirlier]

Which she can't argue given the fact that the events have shown themselves to truly be that bad. As if somehow it runs not on the memories themselves, but the experience of those memories as each of them try desperately to cope with it.

She chuckles at that. "I think I'm just glad you don't actually have money to put on that," she teases, though there's a lot of honesty in those words.

Of course, that might be because they're having a talk about snail mail coming by living snails. So then she can't help but giggle, clinging to him as she imagined just that. "But then how would they stop?"

[oneagainstall]

"I'm not. I'd make back everything I put down and then some. We could buy ourselves a fuckin' yacht and live the fanciest fuckin' life. It'd be great."

Because apparently this is a "we" thing now. He considers her question.

"I dunno. Maybe people put like...fuckin' pillows or something around to give them a soft landing- they could just roll right into them."

[twirlier]

"I gotta say, I do like being on the boat," she admits, smiling at that because she caught all of that. We, and a fancy life. Together.

A life where she is happy and smiling, and definitely giggling like she is right now because, come on. The images in her head are the best, and the fun they are sharing is everything she's wanted in a relationship.

"Oh oh! Imagine tiny brakes on the skates. Controlled by their eyestalks."

[oneagainstall]

"See? It'd be pretty fuckin' sweet."

And it was nice. To think of a future- even a jokey not-really-possible one. Because at least there could be one, of some description, one day. Her giggle brings a smile to his lips, as he lets out a low chuckle.

"Oh shit, you're right. They could be in charge of their own fuckin' snail-y destinies then. Take breaks when they wanted, drive where they wanted. The world would be their oyster. If they wanted to quit, they could."

[twirlier]

"It would be, just like this is." Because here is sweet to her, and the thought is beautiful. Even if they can't ever have anything like that out of Wonderland, that Gren even thinks of such things, that makes her smile. It makes all of this so much more to her, something she's imagined and never had until now.

"And this," she says softly, trying to sound ominous though she's still smiling. "Is why this is bad. They'll rise up you know. Take over one day."

[oneagainstall]

"Well. I can't argue with that."

He glad he managed to get something right here, at least. Though he's at least coming to terms with the fact that he doesn't have to try especially hard to impress her. She likes him just as he is, which is still sometimes an insane concept to him, but there it is.

"They would. We'd be under our snail overlords, having to go and get them...fuckin' cuttlefish or whatever."

[twirlier]

Again she giggles because she can imagine this and it's funnier than it should be. Hugging Gren tight as she thinks about that, then canting her head to look at him once more.

"The worst part though is the slime, you know. I mean, it would end up being everywhere."

[oneagainstall]

He laughs, a rare grin splitting his features- something becoming less rare in her presence.

"God, can you imagine it? I'd be getting in places you didn't even think you fuckin' had."

[twirlier]

Misty gasps, leaning back to stare at him. Just gaping for the longest time and then busting up laughing.

"Oh. My. God. Gren!" She can't stop laughing at that, so many bad mental images. "And all I thought about was all the sliding and falling."

[oneagainstall]

He snickers, he really can't help himself sometimes.

"Aww, see, you're thinking too small. Gotta think about them crevices."

[twirlier]

Dancing has kind of fallen to the wayside, mostly because she can't keeping moving to the rhythm while she is giggling that much. Clinging to him as she presses her face to his shoulder and laughs.

"I am! And I need not to be!"

[oneagainstall]

He's fine with the lack of dancing, hearing her laugh, and knowing he, of all people, managed to make her do so is more than enough for him.

"I mean, no one really wants that mental image hanging around for too long. Just in case it starts creeping up on you in casual conversation with some poor sap who hasn't though about snails and their slime thereof. You'd just space out and that'd be all kinds of awkward. "

[twirlier]

She thumps him on the shoulder, snickering as she leans back enough to wipe her eyes, bright with laughter. Flushed and happy and realizing that while it might be her first date, it didn't matter if it was her hundredth date. It is the best.

She also knew part of what she is going to do for him for Christmas.

"I'm glad we met, Gren. You're really good people. No matter what you'll tell me otherwise."

[oneagainstall]

It's a damn fucking fine first date. Almost no incidents. Maybe he;s not so shitty at this after all. He'd also very much appreciate a gift- though she could honestly give him a rock she picked up from the ground and he'd treasure it, because it came from her.

"I can agree with being glad to have met you, at least," the good people thing, he's less sure of, his thumb traces he curve of her cheekbone. "Really glad. You're...really fuckin' special, you know that?"

[twirlier]

Her eyes close, leaning into that touch and enjoying that tender touch, the way they just so easily fell into contact with one another. Turning her head gently, kissing the pad of his thumb.

"I believe it because you've said so," she admits, really just feeling average in the world she's known. "Also the magic," she teases.

[oneagainstall]

A corner of his lips turns into a smile, small, but there. He likes this. The closeness. He lets out a soft snort of amusement.

"Right 'course, how could I have forgotten about the magic," he chuckles. "But glad to know my say so stands for something. Real feather in my cap, that"