flameinthedarkness | Duplicity Inbox

[...no. No... he needs to deal with this, before it gets worse. And... Idia does better with a screen between him than face to face, so...]

i donno. im paniking a bit. i didnt wanna insult you by saying no. u do look really good. really really good. just... im still not used to this place and what it making us do. i just kinda freaked out. dont get y u would want to show me. you gotta have better options

[Idia sending it before he can doubt himself again. Then instantly regretting it. But it was sent. Too late to take it back.]

[ Oh, so that's how it is. She can't fault him for feeling that way, though it does put a bit of a damper on her mood. ]

That's fine. We don't have to do anything.
I can just come over with some cookies or something and leave it at that.

did i fuck up? i donno how to do... this. like, any of this. all ive done here is either forced on me or... well... buying ah services for quota. i know i should but... i donno how the hell to... be

[Ehhhh! How does he put this?! Even typing it out is cringe.]

i never pictured ever really doing anything or having a partner or anything. this place isnt made for a shut in like me

sorry

No, no. It's fine. I get it, really.
It's a lot to adjust to when you aren't accustomed to these kinds of things.
I certainly didn't get how to do any of this either for a good while. And I did the same...paying for it since no one else seemed interested and taking aphros to help me when the city wasn't doing it for me.
Or perhaps it was more I wasn't interested. I don't know.

It's okay, baby steps, you know?

really? but ur hot, how you not got a bunch wanting you?

donno if this place really allows baby steps... but thanks

You would think, huh? I think being as pink as I am is a turn-off for a lot of mortals.
Or maybe it's the whole goddess thing.
I don't know.

[ She could always make herself look mortal, but that feels like it's being disingenuous. ]

No, I suppose it doesn't.
But you don't have to dive into the deep end of it all, just do what you're comfortable with until then.

I mean, gods kinda whole different realm from mortals, yeah. plus know some worlds only got humans in them, nothing else. You kinda look like a fae, like an elemental one. heh flower fae maybe.

[Ehhh... Idia's still not sure how to approach the rest of this, but...]

i donno what im comfortable with. with others.

[It's less the whole sex thing and more the connection thing for Idia. Why just paying for some sexual stuff is easier. Not full sex, just enough to meet quota. But... he's not an idiot, he knows this can't go on forever, and this place won't allow him to try and get out of this so... was it better to have someone willing with him? Even if Idia has no clue why she would be with him.]

would u be willing to help me? in future? I donno what and doubt any good at... stuff but... i donno, help me learn?

[Was it too much?

...then again, she did offer to show off lingerie to him so... maybe it's not?]

Heh. I did often get mistaken for a flower nymph.

I'd be glad to.
We all start without experience so you don't have to worry about not knowing how to do something or what you like.
That's what experimenting is for.

[Oh... ok. Good, right? Yeah, good. Idia may not have a choice to be here but, well, he can make plans on how to deal with it. Or as best as he can, considering the RNG of this place. And... she seems really nice. And no connection to home. That's good.]

i'll still take u up on the cookies though. And maybe to chat? about...how to do this?

[ It does help to find one person you can enjoy things with. And then another and another. Because just one leaves you in a precarious place if they vanish. ]

Alright. What kind would you like?

[ She may as well take a custom order if they're going to chat about stuff. ]

[Oh, he gets to pick? Hmm, that's a lot of choices. Though, can't go wrong with a classic,]

choc chip?

[ Of course, he gets to pick. If it's something he likes that's the best way to appeal him. ]

One batch of chocolate chip cookies to be delivered tomorrow.

k. oh here

[Idia adding on his apartment number and location onto the text. Then,]

thanks persephone

[For all of this.]

[ Ah, good, she doesn't have to make a guess of which room he ended up in. ] See you tomorrow.

[ They didn't really agree upon a time so she wait until around lunch before she shows up, knocking on his door. Cerberus isn't with her this time, she didn't want him to be a distraction during a potentially serious talk. ]

[They hadn't set up a time, had they? So it takes a minute or two of silence, before from the other side of the door,] Persephone? [It sounding like Idia just woke up.]

Ah fuck, hold on. [The door opening to show... well not Idia, instead there's a blue tablet hovering in the air, it having been lined up with the peephole to see who it was. It moves back to allow her room to enter. Idia's voice comes through it, so clear that it sounds like he's right there talking to her.] Sorry, give me a bit, make yourself comfortable.

[The apartment itself... does not look lived in at all, no real signs of it being made into a home, all neat and untouched. The only signs of someone living there is a few board games on a shelf near the table, all the drapes drawn so it was dark inside. Off to the side could be heard someone moving around in another room, and a few minutes later Idia shuffles out from his bedroom, a hand up to rub at his eye with the heel of his hand.] Sorry, forgot to make a time, huh?

Sorry. [ She says before the door opens. Though once it is open she's left stunned for a moment. She had been expecting Idia there, maybe in a robe, not this tablet. ]

Ah. [ She edges awkwardly into the room, glancing around with a little frown. She can't fault him for not decorating much just yet, but it is still a little sad. She finally makes her way toward the kitchen so she can start pulling cookies and other stuff from her bag. ]

No, need to apologize, I should have messaged you first. Anywho! Cookies! [ She turns, holding out the container. There's also stuff for making tea on the counter, but that may be more for her than him. ]

[Nope, no robe, instead a long sleeve shirt which goes down to cover half his hands, and sweatpants. Super casual.]

It's fine, [Idia mumbles, pausing long enough to use one foot to rub at the other calf, before moving further into the room.] I don't sleep much anyways. [Though it comes with another yawn.

Ooh,] Oh, nice. [Perfect breakfast food. Oh, and,] Ah, I would offer to make the tea but... Azul always says mine tastes like bog water. Oh, he brought some different types if you want those too. [Heading into the kitchen, including a stop at the fridge to grab a can of energy drink for himself. And show there really wasn't anything else in there. Maybe a small carton of milk. More for others to use for tea than for him.

A pause as he cracks the can open, a blink, then,] Ah, thanks for, um, coming over... [Oh yeah, it's not just about cookies, was it?]

I get that. I had a similar problem for a while. [ Settling in some has helped, but she still gets up really early.

Persephone would argue that cookies are not a perfect breakfast food. At least have some protein. ]

That's fine. [ She chuckles softly. ] Tea can be tricky.

[ She moves about to get everything started for the tea. While doing so, she also catches a little glimpse of the inside of his fridge and tsks at what she sees while mentally adding him to the list of people she will be cooking regularly for. ]

Of course. [ She smiles as she turns back to him. ] I think I need to run out and grab a few things if you'll just wait twenty minutes or so. Though before I do, do you like eggs?

[ She is absolutely going to go grab some eggs to cook for him. ]

Hm? It's not a problem. [It's said between a couple of mouthfuls of energy drink, pausing to say that before right onto the next, waiting for that sugar and caffeine to kick in. Idia and sleep don't agree. Well, Idia and his nightmares don't.

Idia brows raise as she continues, a slight nod of his head. Twenty minutes would be good, it would give him time to wake up and wash up and stuff anyway, maybe set some stuff to automate on his computer while they talked. He's reaching for a cookie when she asks this, confused by it all.] Eh? [What does that have to do with any of this? Wait... she came to talk to him about, well... was... this?]

Is this a food fetish thing? I'm not into that.

[ Persephone.exe has stopped working.

For a moment she just stands there staring at him before sputtering and shaking her head. ]

N-no! I just... I thought I'd make you an omelet or scrambled eggs or something. An energy drink and some cookies aren't much of a breakfast.

[Oh. Oh! Oh. Gods. Just let the ground open up and swallow him right now, eyes wide at what he had just suggested... then letting out a sigh. Honestly, he's used to be a target of mockery by now, why not add this on top, shoving a cookie into his mouth to hold between his teeth, looking away from her.] Oh...

[Fuck.]

Eh, I got meal replacement shakes, it's fine. [Biting through half of that cookie so he could speak again, holding the rest in his free hand. Still not looking at her. He's a fucking idiot...]

[ She frowns, brows coming together as her hands go on her hips, leaning forward a bit. ]

Just because you can, [ she raises her hands up for quotes, ] "replace" a meal doesn't make it a meal. Besides, nothing replaces a good home-cooked meal.

[To which Idia leans back as she does, as if needing that extra room away from her.] M-meals take so long to eat! I got stuff to do! I-I got snacks! I can have those! [Because that's clearly the issue here, right? The amount of food? Ignore they will all be high in sugars and fats and no nutritional requirements at all. That's why he has his shakes! And pills for vitamins and minerals he's missing! And those are so fast to have! Just takes a few when he drinks the shakes, clean everything up, BOOM, done! On to doing stuff.]

They do not! An omelet doesn't take any longer than a shake. The only time difference is cooking it.

Luckily, you have me. [ She stands up straight, hand on her chest while looking quite proud of herself. ]

Besides, we're going to be talking. You have time to sit and eat something.

Eeeeehhhh. [WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!? WHAT IS THIS?! He didn't sign up for this! Ehhh... maybe he can, he doesn't know... seem like he's eating it but really not? It would be a waste of her time, but hey, it's her time. And really... she's not looking like she's going to budge on this, is she?

What a pain...

Still,] You're going to do it whether I agree or not, aren't you?

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sorry not sorry

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