paradisa | test chamber 06 ;

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glados,
wheatley

test chamber 06 ;

[ Everyone but Wheatley ; dictated ]

I was wondering if anyone would guide me through the process of making tea.

If it makes any difference, black or green tea especially.

[ Wheatley ]

[ A few hours later, GLaDOS would be making said tea. The room was already ready; although she hadn't really changed it from its cold and clinical feel, it was something that they were both used to, anyway. Aperture. There was a small table set up, though, with two chairs and little tea saucers and plates, and a little radio in the middle that was playing classical music.

GLaDOS herself would be dressed primarily in blue, in a nice button-down fitting blouse with sleeves that reached her elbows and a knee-length black pencil skirt. Of course, she was wearing some nice shoes to match, no heels of course (even if she did think about them, she likely would have trouble walking in them). She didn't want to wish up the tea already made, instead opting to keep herself busy before the moron got there.

She was a little apprehensive, really. This set-up was ridiculous. She knew she was going to these lengths because he had been so considerate over the past week, where she had only been as nice as she could be, but still. Being kind didn't really come naturally after so many years of being a homicidal AI. It was a foreign concept, even if the friendship itself made her inexplicably happy. If only the tiny bit of data (well, self, now that she was human) that was Caroline could explain these dumb things. Instead of just making her feel them.

She let out a small, nervous sigh before writing in the filter and speaking. Hopefully, he had his journal on him. ]

Come up to my room as soon as you're free.

[ Now, to play the waiting game. She took the two tea cups that she had wished for (with blue designs on them, naturally) and finished the job, hoping he would come soon. Otherwise, the tea would get cold. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Totally ARE.

When he crouched to meet her eyes and asked that... she tried to smile. They still had a little bit of time left, and as much as she wanted to spend it happily, it was hard to channel said happiness.

But she would try. ]

I'll do my best. [ Why is she so negative? She's only thinking about later. She's completely losing the point of inviting him over in the first place.

Not the best idea, she realized. ] You're right. We should just be enjoying the time we have left.

[NO.

He had stopped dancing for that moment where he had crouched down to her level. He'd stand back up to his full height.]

"Last time I checked, you never had to do your best love. Constantly testing people mundanely. Didn't even break a sweat... hypothetically. As much as I wanted to be the one in charge. Running things. Being the big guy in charge... the real fun n' all... they made you do it."

[He's quick to add...]

"I did a good job when I was though!"

[His tone is softer again. He places his chin at the top of her head as he continues to dance with her.]

"But... you were built... good. Great! You were built great. Great and non-trying"

[He's trying to cheer her up ok this means nothing and even if you use this against him after the end of the truce he will not acknowledge it as happening.]

[ YES.

GLaDOS makes a little pleasant hum, enjoying the praise. Even if it'll mean nothing in... that time longer than 10 hours, it still makes her feel better. It was a much easier topic to broach than the whole friendship thing.

After all, she was the best at maintaining Aperture.

She follows his dancing lead when they start again, enjoying the proximity. ]

You don't have to try and flatter me like that. Even if I am the rightful owner of Aperture. [ Is that a bit of her trademark confidence sneaking in there? Regardless, it worked. More or less. ]

So, how did you know you liked dancing so much if you only danced with me in a dream?

[Hell yeah. Flattery like a boss.]

"Ahhh.... I uh... you know, danced by myself a few times."

[NO SHAME. None. There is no shame whatsoever.]

"But it's great! You're practically expressing yourself without saying anything! Couldn't do that as a core. Couldn't... couldn't EXPRESS myself or anything. It'd just look like I... was... having a terrible terrible malfunction."

[ Well, that explains a lot. It's true that he couldn't move a lot as a metal ball. ]

I see. That explains how you know how to dance. [ Really, she shouldn't talk. She's just following his lead, and picking up on the positions from last time. ]

"You're getting the hang of it. You know, after this... you can find someone to dance with. Get better at it. It's much fun when you doing actually have to think about the steps. Th-the best part is when you can improvise!"

[At that moment, he changed the step, and dipped GLaDOS back.]

"See? Betcha didn't see that coming, love."

[ She doubts she'll go out and seek a dancing partner, even if it is pretty fun. It likely has more to do with the company than the activity, anyway. She's not sure if dancing is her thing.

The dip, though, is pretty surprising, and she holds onto him tightly in response. ]

No, I didn't. [ she would reply, smirking a little. She's clearly getting her spunk back a little: ] Improvising is another thing you like, isn't it?

"You bet. I can surprise you with a lot of things."

[He raised her back up, making eye contact.]

"You wouldn't by any chance... be storing this in your head to use against me at a later time, love, would you?"

[A different tone. Something friendly... but there was some kind of transition happening gradually. Very very gradually.]

[ She snorted. ] What, that you like to dance?

No, but really. I already know how spontaneous you are. [ She noticed how he suddenly seemed a bit more suspicious.

She should be, too. Shouldn't she.

Somehow, clicking back into that mindset felt easy, familiar, but at the same time undesired. ] After all, your spontaneity nearly destroyed my entire facility.

[It was the same for him. He found it... more comfortable, yet in a state that he did not want to find himself in. He had to look away from her. It came easier if he wasn't looking at his friend.]

"Ahhh love, love love... You're facility was fine. A bag of tricks to try to make me give up the position. No need to press on that."

[He spins her around again, and is sure to brush back a loose strand of her hair. He still liked touching her hair... somehow.]

"You humiliated me first."

[ GLaDOS was able to look him in the face, but it was still difficult. A jumbled mess of truths and lies, all happening while they were dancing. If she were more of an artiste, she might even find it poetic, somehow. ]

Fine? If you consider the reactor core about to explode the entire building fine, then feel free to. [ she said casually, spinning when prompted, smiling a little when he touched her hair. Somehow, even when back in the usual game of accusations being thrown around like a game of ping-pong, she still liked the feeling. Hm. ]

And I humiliated you first? Do tell.

"You-you see I'd love to. There's nothing more that I'd rather do than tell you all that...Absolutely love to, but there's actually something else that's been on my mind that I've been... uh, dying to tell you."

[He shifts the direction they danced in.]

"You look absolutely ravishing in that blue, love. You should wear it more often... it brings out your eyes."

[You can call the shift in their dancing both literal and metaphorical.]

[ GLaDOS can feel the dance become more hectic, her snarky personality becoming easier and easier to slip into. Was it her real personality? Everything was getting too crazy to tell.

The compliment is unexpected, but she makes sure her calm poker face isn't ruined, giving him a cool smirk as she suddenly shifted her weight to spin them in the opposite direction. ] Really? I could say the same for you. That vivid shade of orange quite suits you. [ Her voice is low all of a sudden, although it's not the usual angry low. Instead, it's playful. She's kind of really enjoying this. The best of both worlds? She quite thinks so... ] Did you wear it on purpose?

"I-If I said yes... how would you feel about that?"

[He is surprised by her sudden shift. He stumbles for a moment, just a step. It was unexpected. There is a pause, and he suddenly laughs...slowly. Unexpected.]

"Oh that was cleverrr."

[ She's smiling still, actually finding this quite fun. ] I might be happy about that.

[ His laugh and comment please her. Her eyes are shining with amusement. ] Oh? I was just following your example, [ she said innocently. See? It was a bad thing to be spontaneous. It made others fall. ]

"Ha. Haha, Then I might've done it on purpose. Never know. Never know."

[Excuse him while he pauses the dance, for barely a half moment, just to remove his glasses, and throw them onto a nearby table. You started this up GLaDOS.]

"My example? D-do you really mean that?"

[He rolls up his sleeves and assumed the proper tango position. He seems to have a new determination, to make the dance... more interesting.]

"...Oho, S-So now you're copying me."

[And so they continue to dance.]

Edited 2012-07-13 05:21 (UTC)

Oh, don't be mysterious about it.

[ Oh? GLaDOS can spot this determination easily from the way he dramatically threw his glasses aside and the way he rolled up his sleeves. Wheatley looked different without them, she noticed distantly as they began to dance again. She would follow his lead at first, not accustomed to this new kind of dance, but improvised a bit herself to fill in the blanks. ]

Why not? You're the dancing expert, [ she would reply airily, not really meaning to compliment him. It was more of an idle comment to throw into the flame. At one point, she wrapped her leg around him and shifted her weight to spin them again. Even though he was leading, she still wanted to assert some sort of power over him. ]

[That shift. For a moment, he fell into her lead. Wheatley closed his eyes for a minute, to assess the situation... and slowly opened them to look at her. Second time she got him. Wheatley would laugh and shake his head, placing his chin on the top of her head again.]

"It...it doesn't count if you lie to me. You told me you didn't know how to dance, love."

Edited 2012-07-13 05:35 (UTC)

[ GLaDOS suddenly felt a small influx of emotion when he put his chin on her head. Thankfully, by then he couldn't see her. She would fall back into his lead, a bit frazzled by the mix of friendship and enemy. The line felt like a blur. ]

I don't. [ she replied simply. ] I was improvising.

[He was a bit surprised, but relieved when she fell back into his lead. He hadn't thought to consider why. His eyes flicker up at the clock as he rested his chin. Time had flown. They had been dancing for hours already. 6 hours till midnight. He planned on dancing with her till the two of them became exhausted, or till she was sick of seeing his face.]

"I bet you're just the master of improvisation, aren't you. Human sarcasm right there. Did you hear it?"

[A chuckle.

He'd dance with her for a good while in silence.

...

Finally, he'd turn the side of his head, and press his cheek against the top of her head. His voice softer.]

"A-are you keeping track? Of the time that is. Keeping track of the time."

Edited 2012-07-13 05:52 (UTC)

[ GLaDOS was tired. She was really tired; the dancing was draining her physically and emotionally, and she was beginning to falter when Wheatley pressed his cheek to the top of her head. His soft question made everything worse.

Yes, during those many hours, her gaze would dart towards the clock. Time was running out. ]

I have. [ she replied softly in turn, slowing to a halt. ] Five hours and a half.

[The dancing was less dramatic. Just him, really taking a step or two, resting his head on hers.]

"I'm beginning to think that the castle didn't spare us the humiliation to leave a bit of the...uh... artificial make up that we have. Not particularly unexpected...but-"

[He took a breath. His voice has this odd tone to it.]

"I think I... uh, feel something. It's human, definitely. Never felt it before in my life. New thing, new thing... but I'll tell you. It feels absolutely dreadful. Kind've empty. Oh...um, Sort've like... like I lost something..."

[ GLaDOS realized that she felt the same way. Hollow. Empty. Melancholy. This was too much. This was all too much. Why had she agreed to this dumb truce in the first place? Why had she even bothered inviting him over today?

Stupid, stupid GLaDOS. She berated herself in her mind. She felt like this never would have happened if they didn't become friends. Even if it was for a week, she should have realized that this would happen.

But she never did, because she had never had such an experience before. So how was she supposed to know what was waiting for her now?

All Wheatley gets in reply is a shaky breath and arms wrapped around him in a hug, holding him close. And eventually, a small: ] Me too.

[He gave a very sad smile in response to the hug. It was comforting somehow, but somehow it made it worse. He hugs her back. He doesn't let go of her, speaking through her hair. ]

"Well! Uh... we still have a bit over 5 hours! Just a bit though. That's enough time... if there is anything you want to do before--uh, before the truce ends! We can...we caaaan... do it now. No problem. Watch another movie? Go make something... we-we could even just... just sit here. Sit here and talk. I don't mind. As long as we're...you know."

[ She was thankful that he hugged her back. It was funny how easily she folded in his arms, and how much she liked it. She took another, deeper breath before calming down. ]

We've done so much already. Let's just... stay here for a bit. [ Thankfully, her voice didn't quaver. She was afraid of that happening. ] My bed's... over there, somewhere. I got rid of the couch.

[ she would point, but she was too comfortable in his arms. ]

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