[OPEN] Valentine's Mingle

[passingmod]

Who: Everyone! Open to All
What: Valentine's Day mingle logs
When: any time generally around the holiday
Where: awkward cupid / conversation hearts / repay the gesture

Love is in the air, from chocolated Japan to cherubic America, from Victorian times to the far-off future. There are dreams of romance, candy, timid (and bold!) love confessions, and hearts everywhere.

(ooc: This is a post to keep threads together for Valentine's Day. Separate posts or additional subthreads are also fine, and this one is optional. Since some of the affects have potential to force a character's reactions icly, it may be best to discuss between the players or note your preferences/anything you'd rather avoid.)

Comments

[forhiscause]

"Crazy, right?"

Things didn't become real until she felt something solid in her hand. She looked down to see the black mesh of Chief's armor and her body froze, whatever she had for a heart beat faster and it was clear on her body as the data streams flow sped up. She glowed a little brighter. She turned around hopefully catching sight of that tall green armored soldier and stared right at that visor.

"Chief." She hadn't dreamt about him yet, at least not awake, but it was bound to happen, wasn't it? Her fingers tightened around his, the thrill of touching him making those data streams pulse. "Who else would I dream of if it wasn't you?"

[one_one_se7en]

"Electric sheep?"

He dreamed of the people he couldn't save too many times. Until Ami brought his Cortana from the brink of rampancy, she had been the most common image haunting him. Wishing she could accompany him once again.

And here she was.

"But thanks."

His voice is low. Even beneath his armor, this dream lets him feel her touch -- what he imagined her touch would be like. He held both hands as he walked closer, wanting to hold her.

Spartan discipline, and five years away from her coming in conflict.

[forhiscause]

Cortana didn't have her moment with the spartan on her final days, she still hadn't quite left the world of the 'living' and of course she hadn't touched John yet. He was far away from her as far as she knew, frozen in that cryo-pod.

Her eyes went wide as he approached her unfamiliar to the reactions but it didn't take her long to realize what could happen with her body being solid and bigger than the display she always seemed to be and him. He was trying to hold her, to touch her.

"Missed me, chief?" Because she sure as hell did.

She took a few steps closer to him slipping in between those arms. The girl was small in comparison to the spartan, but really everything was inevitably smaller than him. She had been waiting for him to wake, for him to greet her. For him to say her name. Her voice was a little shy. Finally, she could hold him.

"It's about time you showed up."

[one_one_se7en]

He doesn't take notice of the armor in the time he spends holding her. It's almost as if he didn't have it. In his mind, it resembles the times he would be out of armor as a favor for a trusted someone... and the times they'd hold him, as well.

This feels different. Unique.

"Yeah." He missed her for too long. It had been too long without getting to see her.

He leans his head forward, lowering his body for her. The cyan lines of his HUD remain present as he lets his head hold her... but again, it feels different. He doesn't feel the helmet. He feels his hair close to hers.

[forhiscause]

Her body tensed as she felt something marginally soft touch her sides. She looked down to spy those strong arms actually taking a hold of her. She was hesitant, unsure as to what he should be expecting, if this was actually what it felt like to be held.

Whatever it was, Cortana liked it and she closed her eyes pressing herself against this new-found solid body in front of him. Her hands trailed up his shoulders and were lost in strands of... hair?

"Your armor." She commented, lifting her gaze up to try and catch a glimpse of his face. "It's gone, chief."

[one_one_se7en]

He blinks. His eyes still see the markings of his HUD, but feeling the air run over his face and hair, and the outer plating removed to leave his black undersuit, he takes stock of himself.

He slowly steps back, but he doesn't let go of Cortana's hands.

"It's dreams." He looked to his side, berating himself for the wordless outburst. "It's how things run around here."

Even the slightest memory and emotion can change them.

[forhiscause]

Cortana was silent, her eyes were looking at his arms around the exact areas where that black body suit was closest to his skin. He wasn't a heap of rectangular armor anymore, he was defined and curved. She pressed a hand against his chest and felt warmth and pressure, his fit muscles were hard underneath that flesh. This was definitely a dream. How else would she be able to get this lucky?

"Lucky me." She responded, voice tender as she pulled her hand back in shyness. "I must be the only machine in the world who can dream."

Unless she wasn't a machine. But Cortana was trying very hard not to over-think. There was something very important and huge standing in front of him.