Someone just got taken off the eligible bachelor list.

[updateit]

Guess this means I can to look forward to a bit of, ah, scrutiny from most of Security now, huh? Oh well; a little good natured harassment from well meaning programs is a small price to pay for getting to spend the rest of my runtime with Anon. Yes, I know that is "sappy and corny as hell", but you can stop making that face now. Think of it as payback for making us wait a full year before you and Anon's User got your Bits in a row and got the ball rolling so that we can be together in-game. I do hope that you two aren't planning on spending another year on the courting stage before we get to actually admit our feelings.

...and hopefully Beta warms up to Anon before too much longer. I really don't need to worry about protecting him from a jealously protective Bit every time the two of us are in the same room together.

I'll have a hard enough time trying to convince Security that I worthy of dating their Chief so that they lay off the glaring and pranks. And trying to escape Gibson's trolling if he shows up.

Comments

POPCORN.GIF

[trollmaster_gibson]

[OMU brogram you just made Gibson's cycle.]

Seriously? Seriously.

Oh man oh man. Where the hell is Clu. I'm gonna haunt him into an early grave for making me miss this.

[Paging User Kleinberg, can we have some popcorn up here in the Great Recycle Bin in the Sky, please and thank you?]

I mean. Ahem. Congrats, kid.

[updateit]

[He is not sure whether to be amused or facepalm.]

I think the Grid at large would be happy to know where Clu is right now.

It would certainly make Anon's life easier in the long run.

[Drive pauses and quirks a brow at the ISO. Did he just call him...?]

Thanks.

...and did you just call me 'kid'? Pretty sure I am older than you, program.

[tanks4thememory]

[Clu gives Drive a friendly pat on the shoulder.]

Long as the pranks stay on the good-natured side, it shouldn't be too bad. They start being actual glitches, though, and they might find themselves being pranked right back. And nobody does pranks like a hacker.

[Basically, they'll be made to know that Drive is already big-brogram approved and that they should back off.]

[updateit]

[Drive grins, unable to help himself. He hasn't really stopped smiling since the kiss.]

I know that they do not mean any real harm. They just want to make sure that I am a good match for him. I guess. I've never actually been faced with something of this nature before.

[tanks4thememory]

[Smiling Drive is a very good thing, yes. Especially when Clu can tell it's genuine.]

Yeah, I guess they wouldn't. Most security programs around here are alright. Course, you'll find the occasional program who's just a glitch in any function set, so... [shrugs]

Though if you wanted to help things along a bit, you might want to consider volunteering to help out with their training simulations. You're pretty good at running, hiding, and generally evading capture; you'd probably be a big help in tracking exercises. And they can hardly claim you're an unsuitable match if you're regularly showing them up, now can they?

[voiceless_anon]

If they scrutinize too closely, they're going to find themselves on guard duty at remote memory banks. [He laughs.] It's convenient, being the one who approves the duty rosters.

Come here, Drive.

[He wraps his arms around Drive contentedly. Finally, they get to be open about this.]

[updateit]

Aw. They are just being protective. You will probably face some scrutiny of your own from the Utility camp. [Even the mere thought of his fellow Utilities side-eying Anon is almost enough to make him want to cover his face in embarrassment.

Instead, he wraps his arms around Anon and nuzzles into his hair, sneaking a kiss to his forehead.]

Users it is nice not having to sneak around anymore.

[voiceless_anon]

[Anon hums happily at the sneaky kiss, and returns one to Drive's ear.]

It really is. All those memes where my User had to deflect attention with the 'he hasn't been given the Talk yet' line.

I've already been getting some side-eye from the Utilities about pulling rank and getting you taken off the roster. Hopefully that'll calm down once you're healed and back on the job.

[updateit]

[Ooh, that kind of tickles. He gently nips at Anon's ear in return and runs a hand down his side, an affectionate gesture with no ulterior motives behind it. Eden might be shameless when it comes to public displays, but Drive has more restraint than the little beta.]

And mine repeatedly saying that I am too shy or have too many problems to be interested in relationships.

[His expression turns serious, and he leans in to place a kiss on Anon's lips, pulling back to rest his forehead against his partner's.]

I'm sorry that you had to do what you did. Even sorrier that you had to see me in that condition. I never wanted to scare you. About the only thing I don't regret about the whole situation is that it finally let me realize how important you are to me.

[voiceless_anon]

I'm not sorry. About the only thing I do regret is that I couldn't help sooner.

And it let me figure out just how much you keep me sane and grounded, how much you mean to me.

[updateit]

[Drive sighs quietly and rubs his hand up and down Anon's back, only half heartedly trying to avoid caressing his circuits.]

I would not have let you help me sooner.

I just want to stay by your side for the rest of my life. I know it won't be easy, and it won't always be peaceful or even safe given who and what you fight against to keep the system safe, but I don't care. You are the one that I want to share my life with.

[voiceless_anon]

[Anon has no idea what to say to that, but maybe his eyes say it all. He gazes wide-eyed and happy at Drive for a moment, then reels Drive in for a proper kiss. Anon is fast becoming addicted to kissing, and has found that you can say nearly as much in a kiss as you can aloud.]

[updateit]

[It is just as well; if allowed to keep talking Drive will inevitably wind up rambling to the point of making himself feel awkward again, and that generally leads to him withdrawing a little. He responds to the kiss with a small happy sound and presses back into it, his embrace tightening a bit. It has literally been centuries since he last trusted someone enough to share intimacy with them, and he is more than content to indulge Anon's desires. There is not much that he will not do for him.]