forum ENCOM OS-12 | OxO | Closed unless you're a fellow Program/User/ISO | Stalkers get a free Light Runner

Started March 25, 2021 by @murphysgirl

tune

Nora shook her head. "I was… planning to grab a drink at End of Line." It was a nice lie, and actually something she might commit to.

Cor nodded a little, liking the idea but wasn't sure if he should join her. “That sounds nice.” he admitted softly not trying to invite himself. Especially in his Black Light persona as it felt a little awkward. But it would be nice to relax… Plus, it could be fun to annoy Astra and Skye…

Nora, unsure of what to say, nodded and turned back to the elevator buttons, Bit hovering, somewhat uncertainly, at her shoulder. With a soft hiss, the doors began to close.

Cor sighed a little when the doors closed and gave her a brief wave of goodbye since he missed his chance to join her. Though he tried to reassure himself that it would have been awkward. It wouldn't have been his first time drinking or clubbing in this costume though he’d always been more outgoing and flirtatious in those cases. As nice as it was to work with Aroura for now, he didn't want to put her through that. Nor make things awkward when they were on the case.

Nora headed up to her apartments, her Aurora outfit derezzing in the elevator, and promptly collapsed into bed, staring up at the ceiling. Something had been bugging her, something, something. All evening. Something.
Black Light reminded her of someone, but she didn't know whom. He seemed vaguely familiar, like they had met somewhere before. Had he been one of the programs she had rescued from the Games? Staring up at the ceiling, she said aloud, "Bit, Black Light is interesting, isn't he?"
Yes. Bit had already begun to have suspicions about whether or not Black Light was Cor, but being a yes/no operating system, it hardly had a way of telling Nora. Bobbing gently above her bed, it was her companion as she rolled over and drifted into sleep.

Cor shook his head and drove back to his apartment. He was glad for the progress that they’d made but there was something about Aroura he couldn't quite put his finger on… Maybe it was just the fact that she had a Bit of her own that reminded him of Nora. How about that? he chuckled softly, Their names end the same too… he realized. One thing he was sure of, Tetra would like both of them. Nora was bold and fun to be around but Aroura was a fighter, brave, and seemed to be very serious but that was probably because of the work she did so he couldn't blame or judge her for that.

The next cycle, Nora was heading to a party of Skye's. She had declined to come many times, but Skye had kept insisting, and Nora had eventually relented simply to stop the annoyance. It was threatening rain, and she was walking with a surly scowl along the street; Skye lived only two sectors away from Nora, so it was hardly worth getting out her lightcycle. An equally grumpy Bit, who would rather have been watching netdramas or bugging End of Line customers, trailed along at her shoulder, letting out the occasional No.

Cor had just finished up his normal shift for the cycle and was walking up the street towards the Silver Building, planning on going to the End of Line. He was a little more than surprised that he was hoping to see Nora and Bit again as well as wanting to relax from all the craziness that he’d been a part of these past few cycles. It was still hard to believe everything that he’d discovered and been through. Though he was thankful that he hadn't done all of it alone.
Glancing up at the oncoming storm made him pull his jacket a little closer around himself. He wasn't necessarily scared but there was something a little unsettling to him about them. Shaking his head with a soft sigh he looked back where he was heading and raised a brow. “Nora?” he called out, waving to get her attention.

Nora looked up at the sound of her name, a frown appearing on her face. If it was a friend of Skye's -
Oh. It was only Cor. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she let the frown be replaced by the tiniest smile, pausing in her walk. She would do anything to be late to the party, or better yet, miss it completely. Here was the perfect opportunity.
Bit, with a happy Yes, zoomed toward Cor and circled his head. Nora headed toward them. "Hello."

Cor hesitated for a moment when he saw her expression but smiled softly when she did. His smile grew, however, when Bit greeted him. “Hey, Bit! Nora. It's good to see you again.”

"You as well," she said. Another foreign phrase in her mouth, heavy and odd. There was a moment or two of awkward silence, and then she asked, "How is your evening?"

He shrugged. “Fine so far. I just finished my shift and was hoping to get a drink.” he admitted, not mentioning that he had been looking forward to seeing the both of them too. “How’s yours going?”

A grimace crept its way onto her face. "Skye is forcing me to come to one of her parties… I'd do anything to get out of it."

“Oh.” he nodded, understanding why she wouldn't want to go. “Uh, can't you just say that something came up at End of Line or you ran into an old friend or something?” he offered. But he had a feeling neither of those excuses would work very well with Skye. Something about energetic program gave him the impression that she could be very determined when she wanted to be.

Nora sighed. "I wish. But if there was something urgent at End of Line, she would probably have to be called in to. And I'm not… I don't really have any 'old friends'." A frown creased her forehead, and she sighed again, looking determinedly at Bit, who was now bobbing above Cor's head. "There is one way I could avoid it, but it involves… drastic measures."

Cor nodded at her logic, though he found it a little sad that she didn't have any… other friends, if you could call her co-workers that. And he wasn't entirely sure that she would call him that either, but honestly he couldn't judge since he'd lost touch with most of his old friends as well. "Drastic how?" he asked, raising a brow but willing to help.

Nora closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as though the words she was about to say would bring her physical pain. Folding her arms, frowning, she squinted at Cor as though looking into the sun and said, "Go on a date."

Cor's eyes widened as he blushed deeply at the suggestion. “Oh! That kind of drastic…” he muttered. “Well… Uhh, if you just need an excuse… I don't have anything really planned tonight…” he admitted, unsure if this is what she meant.

Nora, whose cheeks were pink too, now stared at Bit. "It doesn't have to be an actual date," she mumbled, "I just have to tell Skye that I was on a date."
Yes, Bit said, bobbing up and down; Nora, under the impression that Bit was agreeing with her, nodded. In truth, Bit shipped Nora and Cor, and had for a while.

Cor nodded. “Yeah… but, from the brief time I’ve seen her, Skye seems like the kind of program who would push for details about the date. You would have to come up with a whole story to convince her that you did, unless you at least actually spent time with someone else.” he told her. Sweet cubes, what am I doing? Am I actually asking her on a date? … No. I’m just making a case that we can hang out together and she can call it a date to Skye.

Nora nodded and smiled ruefully. He understood exactly. "What's more, she'll demand witnesses." Such was the way, and had always been the way, with Skye. It was yet another reason why Nora shied away from any form of connection. Cor, though… this was different. With any other program, she would honestly rather go to the party. But with Cor - maybe she did want to go on a date-not-date with him.
Yes, said Bit again, whizzing in a ckircle around them as though to tie them together.

“That doesn't surprise me.” he chuckled, smiling softly. “So… Is that a yes? Would you like to use me as an excuse to get out of going to the party?” Cor asked shyly with his blush returning.

Nora's code seemed to short-circuit for a moment, and then, tentatively, with the merest hint of a smile, she murmured, "…Yes?"

Cor was almost sure his lines flashed a soft pink at the affirmative answer. “Oh… Ok.” he smiled, still a little embarrassed but… it was slightly bigger than his usual one. There was something nice about getting to spend time with another program.

Nora eyed End of Line. "If we go up to the club, Skye will have witnesses…"
She sighed and looked at him again. "Skye will have witnesses." A good thing and a bad thing. Or was it a bad thing? There was an odd feeling around her navel. Excitement? Nervousness? Apprehension? She wasn't sure; it was unfamiliar.
"Or we could go… somewhere new," she suggested. The very idea was foreign to her, but it could work.