(no subject)

[notascreensaver]

A large motorbike roars its way through the streets of the Supercomputer. Driving it is a Game sprite, with her brother-in-law seated behind her, his arms wrapped around her torso.

Comments

[a1enzo]

• "Rock Around the Clockspeed Room" playing on the jukebox at background level
• rattling and sizzling noises from the kitchen, and the whirr of the shake machine
• lots of chewing
• small talk
• gossip
• several discussions of AndrAIa's personal appearance, ranging from admiring to jealous to frankly obscene
• speculation on the upcoming Academy term
• someone nervously asking someone else for a second date
• Johnny's girlfriend acidly telling him to shut his mouth before a bug flies into it

[notascreensaver]

She only catches bits and pieces of each of these, and with her paranoia appeased, he turns to the younger sprite beside her.

"So did you have fun visiting with Dani?"

[a1enzo]

Enzo nods emphatically while he chews and swallows.

"It was great! We explored, and we saw a real desert, and Bumblebee took us riding, and I gave her more swimming lessons..."

His grin turns ever so slightly inappropriate at this last one. He's back to his old, digital, non-hormonal self, but he can remember how it felt. 'Swimming' consisted largely of mutual ogling.

[notascreensaver]

AndrAIa laughs.

"Carefull there loverboy. Don't let Dot see you thinking those thoughts."

[a1enzo]

Enzo blushes.

"Yeah, I know. It was kinda weird." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "Users are... they get... theystartpubertyearlier." He looks sheepish and ducks his head between his shoulders.

[notascreensaver]

AndrAIa snickers some more at her brother-in-law's expense.

"I'll bet that was...interesting."

[a1enzo]

"'M not used to feeling like that. But... I mean..." He forces some nonchalantness. "I mean, well, Dani liked me that way."

Enzo himself, obviously, was unaffected.

[notascreensaver]

She gives him a sympathetic smile.

"Just you wait until you get that particular upgrade."

[a1enzo]

"Yeah, I know." He's heard jokes about pubescent boys' roommates barricading them in the bathroom for cycles until they can come out without embarrassing themselves.

At least, he thinks they're jokes.

Nonchalant again: "Maybe I should, you know, be organic some more. Now and then. To help me get used to it."

[notascreensaver]

"Might work. You're going to be doing so anyway, aren't you, if you're going to be visiting?

[a1enzo]

Enzo's face falls a little.

It's not the visiting that bothers him, it's the necessity of visiting. Dani having a real home will be a good thing, and he'll have an excuse to see more of Userspace... but still.

But that's selfish of him, and he knows it, so he smiles and says, "Yeah. We still don't know when that's gonna be, though. I mean, he's still there."

[notascreensaver]

She reaches and squeezes his shoulder comfortingly.

"True, but all she and Danny have to do is ask, and they'll have plenty of help dealing with tha fragging idiot."

[a1enzo]

"Right." Even if it means seeing less of her... there's no question. If they can think of a way to beat Vlad and make it stick, he'll be right there.

[notascreensaver]

The Game sprite smiles at him tenderly.

"She's very lucky to have you as a boyfriend, you know."

AndrAIa'd know this better than anyone, he should trust her on this.

[a1enzo]

Enzo blushes again, but the edge is taken off the embarrassment by the fact that he can see the Worms out of the corner of his eye, still gawking (except for Marie, who has stood on her seat to smack Johnny upside the head). That helps significantly to convert bashfulness into smugness.

"Yeah, but I'm lucky, too." He returns her smile. "Both of me."

[notascreensaver]

She smiles a bit brigher, and she'd ruffle his hair if she weren't so aware of the attention that's on them.

"Such a charmer."

She gestures at his empty plate.

"You ready to get going?"

[a1enzo]

"Oh, sure." He waves for the server (a cheerful binome who calls them both 'Sugar') so they can pay.

Before they leave, he gives the Worms a wave and a smug smile. Their expressions are unreadable, but Johnny looks like his head might explode.

[notascreensaver]

AndrAIa pays the server, and once they're back ouside by her bike, she turns to him.

"The ones in the booth near us, that's the gang you got into trouble over?"

[a1enzo]

"Uh-huh. The Worms."

[notascreensaver]

Smiling, she mounts the bike.

"Good job."

She never said so then, but she means it. It would have taken some skill to take down bullies in that number and size.

[a1enzo]

Skill, teamwork, and the threat of a high-speed grapnel to the face.

"Thanks." He grins. "Did you see their faces?"

[notascreensaver]

AndrAIa laughs.

"Yes, I especially liked the one whose girfriend kept smacking him."

[a1enzo]

"That's Johnny. He hasn't gone near me since then, you know. I think maybe it's when I said I'd shoot him in the face that did it."

[notascreensaver]

She smiles fondly, his mentioned threat sounding a lot like something her husbad would say. The Game sprite gestures behind her on the bike.

"Hop on."