InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I solemnly swear..."

Markus (jericholeader) wrote in somerealityrpg,
@ 2019-12-13 01:01:00

Entry tags:

active: morgan stark, inactive: markus

Who: Markus and Morgan
Where: Lafayette Square for this
When: 12th Dec
What: Markus and Morgan explore New Orleans
Status: In progress
Warnings: TBD (mush and language?)

Since they'd arrived in New Orleans Markus and Morgan had been talking about going to explore the city, but their schedules hadn't allowed it until today. Getting the kids at school ready for the Christmas break and doing the many projects involved surrounding the season had meant there was a lot to do. Particularly in Markus's art class, which was engulfed in glitter and Christmas cards. He understood a little about the holiday, but the whole build up had him mildly bemused, despite his enthusiasm for his work.

It was going to a busy few days and so he decided when he saw the Luna Fete advertised, he would make time to take Morgan along. It was an augmented reality light display and the mixture of technology and art was entirely Markus' thing and he hoped his girlfriend would enjoy it too.

He'd waited in the hallway for Morgan to join him, knowing that even the short journey to Lafayette would be better on Moriarty than on foot. When Markus saw her he stood up straighter and smiled in welcome. "I've missed you," he said as he closed the distance and kissed her. "I have no idea what to expect from tonight, but I know I'll enjoy it all the more with you along," he told her softly.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

maguna
2019-12-13 11:48 pm UTC (link)

Morgan was glad he seemed to understand, and that she didn't entirely make a mess of trying to explain the holiday to him. She knew he would have more questions later, and that was completely okay. The girl ould try to answer them all, and if she couldn't? They could research and discover the answers together. When he looked down at his feet, she stepped closer to cup his cheek and tilt her head down to meet his eyes. "Of course we will," she replied softly. "I wouldn't dream of letting this Christmas pass by without being with you."

Morgan gave Markus a nod of his own. "I understand." Of course, she understood. There wasn't a single molecule in her body that ever wanted to leave Goodland, and at times she felt the guilt creep up on her, because of the family she had back home. She tried to hold onto what Sam said when she first arrived, that the theory was that no one back home realized they were gone. It was that theory that she kept replaying in her head whenever her old friend guilt came to play. "I would very much like for you to introduce us, it would mean a lot to me to know him more."

"Well, that's very good, because I don't intend on ever letting go," she mused with another squeeze of her arms. This city was absolutely beautiful. The new mixed in with the old was quite a thing to behold. "It is. That a completely different world. It's a little breathtaking." Slipping off of Moriarty, she discarded her helmet and shook her hair out around her shoulders, before taking in the view of the square. "Definitely more modern."

Waiting for him to get settled, she tilted her head curiously. "My turn to ask a question," she said with a smile and held out her hand for him to take it. "What were holidays like in your Detroit? Did humans celebrate anything?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jericholeader
2019-12-14 01:29 am UTC (link)

It brought a shy smile to his face to hear that she was going to make time for her over the holiday season. "It'll be my first Christmas," he said meeting her eyes. "If you weren't around it wouldn't feel right," though Markus wasn't entirely sure what the feeling should be, he knew it had to include Morgan.

Markus didn't want to leave either, but he was glad she understood there was an element of conflict that came with the feeling. He would always wonder what had happened to the other deviants, but he would have hope things worked out for them without him. He gave a smile when Morgan agreed to his suggestion. "The next time we have a night at home, I'll introduce the two of you," he told her and though he knew it would be a one-way conversation it would allow his girlfriend to understand what had made him the man he was.

"Letting go would be really bad," Markus joked, "especially without your suit. So hold on a little tighter," he told her with a teasing grin. "It really is," he replied to Morgan's comment and a thought struck him as he stashed his helmet, "do you think we'll ever get to see Europe? I mean, this is old, but some of those places are old!" he said with wide eyes. "Imagine touching something that's been in the same place for a thousand or more years, it would be quite something," Markus said struck with the idea.

He looked down curiously, raising his eyebrows as Morgan spoke, happily slipping his hand into hers as he waited for the question. Markus frowned. "Yes, they celebrated," he replied thinking back to his observations of his home town. "I didn't see much of them because Carl was ill, he preferred to work rather than go to parties, unless it was for a gallery opening." And where Carl went Markus went too, so the family element she'd spoken of had only brushed their world rather than taken it over. "I'm sure other households did far more," he said with a smile her way. "Like yours."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

maguna
2019-12-14 02:25 am UTC (link)

"Your first," she asked- her tone remaining soft. Morgan knew then that she wanted to make it special for him. She loved that she got to be a part of so many of his 'firsts' and the fact that her favorite holiday was a part of that? It made her ridiculously happy, but also a little sad that he hadn't ever had a Christmas before. Morgan hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed that his gift wasn't something he could unwrap. "I wouldn't feel right without you either," she confessed.

"I'm looking forward to it. Carl played such a big part in making you into the man you are, and I know I won't be able to thank him personally for that, but it will be wonderful to meet him through your eyes."

Morgan grinned and held on tighter. "Like this," she asked- kissing the back of his neck and then having a brilliant idea. "Oh! But with my suit? I could stand on the back of Moriarty while you drive us around the city." And then she was thinking about Europe and how amazing it would be to see it with him. "I think anything is possible in this crazy new world we live in- including putting our hands-on Europe's landmarks."

She listened carefully, nodding as he spoke of Carl's illness and his preference to work. Morgan wondered if Carl would have admired her work ethic. "I was just curious since you spoke of it being your first Christmas, I had a thought that perhaps it wasn't celebrated in your world."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jericholeader
2019-12-15 01:23 am UTC (link)

"My first as a free-entity," he answered with a small smile. "So, yes, my first Christmas. It will certainly be interesting to participate," and having Morgan close by would make it all the more special. He was glad she felt the same.

Markus looked at his hands and smiled, "he really did," he said softly, giving Morgan's hand a tender squeeze. "It'll be nice to share some of those memories with you," he told her. There were so few really positive memories from back in Detroit, but there were a select few he would happily share with her.

"Oh yes, just like that," he answered with a laugh as she kissed him, sending tingles through every one of his neurons. "You keep coming up with ideas like that and I'll be making you come up with a suit for me too," Markus teased. The idea of Morgan standing behind him like a stunt-performer was pretty amazing and knowing she'd come to know harm meant he had zero objections to her trying it out. "Let's hope we get to see more of the world, then?" he said with a broad grin, knowing whatever came their way would be an amazing adventure.

"Humans celebrate Christmas in my world," Markus replied with appropriate emphasis on the humans. "It was winter when I left Detroit, so perhaps if I'd stayed longer I would have celebrated it this year with my friends, but I get to spend it with you instead," and he had no complaints as he wrapped his arm around Morgan's shoulders and pulled her close. "Most things in my world were exclusive to humans, which is why I love it here so much," and loved being loved for being himself.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

maguna
2019-12-15 01:53 am UTC (link)

"You know it's dangerous to give me ideas like that," she teased- resting her chin on his shoulder. "Now, you may come home to find a suit waiting for you." Morgan was already thinking of all the stunts she could try on the back of the bike, though, and was reasonably sure she would be trying each and every one of them in the very near future. "I'm not opposed to hoping for that." The good parts of Goodland outweighed all of the bad, and some of those good things were the scenery changes. And, the thought of exploring them with Markus excited her.

Morgan nodded and frowned ever so slightly. She couldn't put into words how much she hated the way Androids were treated in his world. Yes, knowing that he and others were a part of changing that made her proud of him, but a rebellion shouldn't have been needed in the first place. At the same time, Markus was the person he was today because of it. The frown vanished from her face and was replaced with a smile when he pulled her close, and she wrapped her arm around his waist. "I'm glad you were brought somewhere that affords you the freedom you deserve." Even if things had been different? Even if they hadn't have grown close, or fallen for one another? Morgan would have been happy for him to lead a life like the one he fought for back home.

"Look at that," she said- slowing her pace as the light projections in the square caught her eye.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jericholeader
2019-12-15 02:36 am UTC (link)

Markus shot her a smirk and said, "I like your ideas. All of them." He quite liked the idea of the whole suit-thing and the chuckle that rumbled through his chest told Morgan as much. "At least you wouldn't have to program the AI," he told her happily. This whole world, all of it, was theirs to approach as they chose to, even when the Entity threw a cog in the wheels it seemed they came back better for it. "So, long country lanes and ancient monuments are on the wishlist now?"

He knew Morgan struggled with his past, but what mattered to Markus now was his future. He gave her a loving squeeze as she settled into his arms and said softly, "so am I." Everything he'd ever hoped or wanted was here, along with a few things he hadn't believed possible. "I think I got a whole lot more than I deserve," he said gently kissing the top of her head and smiling.

The sound of her voice took him from his ruminations and he looked up at the lights. "That's... incredible," Markus said with joy in his heart as the buildings began to wave and flicker around them. "It's like the whole square is one huge gallery," he said as the world around them shifted and changed with the lights.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

maguna
2019-12-15 02:55 am UTC (link)

"I'm sure you'll eventually protest to one or two of my ideas." Probably more than just a couple. As much as Morgan was prone to overthinking, she also tended to jump into dangerous situations. She didn't imagine Markus liking any of those ideas too much. "Not having to program the AI certainly would speed things along," laughing she shook her head. "Damn you for giving me this idea. You know it's happening now, right?" She sighed happily at the thought of their long country roads. "Yes. All of the things. We'll start a never-ending list."

Her smile grew at the kiss to her head, and she reached up to her shoulder to lace her fingers with his. "We both did," she said softly.

Morgan looked on at the shifting buildings with wide eyes. "It's beautiful," she said- a little awestruck. "So, I guess we won't be making fun of this sucking, huh?" She hadn't expected it to be so immersive, and it was hard to decide what to look at first.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

jericholeader
2019-12-15 03:52 am UTC (link)

Markus cocked his head and thought for a moment and shook his head, "nope, I doubt it. You have awesome ideas and if you think you can scare me off now, you've not been paying attention!" He smiled as Morgan started to run the whole suit-idea through her mind and for a moment he wondered what he might have started. "Hey, it would seem you're not the only one with the awesome ideas?" he shot back with a laugh. "Just make sure they don't match too much. It would be like those older couples with matching sweat-suits," he said with a laugh.

"What else would you put on the never-ending list?" he asked as he cuddled her tightly. Wanting to know all her dreams and hopes too. It seemed as though his 'firsts' had taken president over Morgan's desires, even though they were sharing the moments together. "I want to know what you want most in the world," Markus asked with a long look into her eyes.

"Yeah..." Markus watched as the lights danced around them, "...it's definitely not sucking yet. Perhaps if there were a black-out?" he suggested with a sheepish look at Morgan. "Come on," he said leading her to the centre of the square and pulling off his jacket and laying it down on the ground. He didn't care if the people around were looking at him, he slipped down onto the ground and lay back, holding his arms wide for Morgan to join him. "I want to see what it looks like from here," he said in breathless excitement.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

maguna
2019-12-15 04:45 am UTC (link)

Morgan didn't want to scare him off, but a tiny little voice in the back of her head was worried she might, so hearing him say it? Even in jest? Made that little voice calm down- at least for tonight. "Oh the horror of those matching sweat-suits," she said with a laugh. "We should definitely avoid those."

Morgan looked up into his eyes, a little taken aback by his question. "I could be incredibly cheesy, and say that I already got what I wanted most in the world," she said pointedly- knowing that Markus would realize she was talking about him. "But, I had no idea I wanted you until you walked through the doors of that cafe." Laying her head on his shoulder, she thought for a moment before speaking again. "I want to attend Columbia. It was my college of choice back home, and it's almost serendipitous that Goodland happens to be New York City. I know that being Tony Stark's daughter means I don't have to put in the groundwork if I don't want to. I could easily do great things with Stark Industries without it, but I want to earn it."

"I want to create things that help people, and I want to have the education to back it up. People see me here for me. At home, it was harder. I felt like a novelty of sorts. All the outside world saw when they looked at me was Tony's daughter, and you know how proud I am to be his, but it was impossible to make genuine non-familial connections. They either wanted to have an 'in' with the man who saved the world, or they thought I would have everything handed to me on a silver platter. I'm not sure which was worse. It's yet another reason I never want to go back." Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts aside. Morgan hadn't meant to go so far left with this. It wasn't something she had shared with anyone before, but Markus was her safe place. "But yes. I want to help people with my science. That's what I want most in the world. On a few superficial silly- maybe a few unattainable- notes? I want to dance in the rain, I want to go to Wonderland, I want to jump out of an airplane with just a parachute, I want to go to Italy, I want to make my parents proud, and I want to spend forever with you." Her nose scrunched up at the last part. "Not too much to ask, right?"

Morgan watched him curiously as he removed his jacket and couldn't help the bright smile that spread across her face when he held his arms out to her. His excitement was infectious, and she loved him all the more for it. "Another brilliant idea." Slipping down into his arms, she rested her head against his chest. "Beyond brilliant," she gasped as her eyes found the lights above them.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -