He emails the manuscript. She takes the manuscript and edits it. It goes back to him. He edits her edits. He re-emails it back to her. She sends him an email with a very angry letter telling him he doesn't know how to edit for shit and that he needs to stop trying to "fix" her edits because it's what he's paying her for. He replies back that he wants his book to have a certain feel to it that she just sucks out when she edits it.
For five years, Matthias and Natalya had been communicating back and forth more or less like this. He was an aspiring writer, and she was an aspiring editor. They lived a hundred miles from each other, but they had been connected through a couple of mutual friends (Natalya's older sister gave Matthias' cousin's boyfriend's their dog). They hoped to bring a manuscript worthy of publishing at one of the biggest publishing agencies in the country. Natalya needed a high-profile job (which could only be started at a high-profile agency) and Matthias needed a breakthrough. He was jobless, and living in his cousin's basement. Considering Berwald had a boyfriend and didn't enjoy an annoying cousin interrupting their peaceful days. And Natalya was tired of her job in an office, sorting paperwork and doing inventories.
How did they get along? As you can see in the first paragraph, quite famously. Their communications were strictly through email, often laced with sarcasm, wit, and in most cases, the written version of one rolling their eyes. In short, they could barely stand each other. Or so they showed outwardly. But, we'll get to that later.
One spring day, Matthias typed the last word into his word doc. It was finally done! Finally do-
Ding.
His inbox for his email indicated something had arrived. He opened it and sighed (in love or hate?) at the name (Natalya) and opened it. Blah blah when you finish the last chapter send it to me right away blah blah it's very important blah blah maybe we should talk on the phone blah blah bla- wait a second.
She wanted to talk to him, on the phone?
His first thought was What did I do?
His second thought was I'll finally get to hear what her voice sounds like...
He shrugged and went back through the last chapter he had finally finished, fixing a few things here and there, conscious of the sorts of edits Natalya applied, trying to reduce her fingerprint on it as much as possible.
When Matthias was finally done, he sent in as an attachment, also typing I'm up for a phone call as long as you won't scream at me or something.
You see? They seem to hate each other. Or at least are annoyed by each other. They haven't really met, not really. But Natalya has gotten to learn a lot about Matthias by his writing. It's a part of the person's soul, right? Their style, their characters, their genre. It's all a part of who they are. And she slowly fell in love with his writing and, arguably, him.
And Matthias, the emails he received from the other were always full of scathing words and corrections, but they weren't exactly mean. More teasing. She was smart, witty, and had a sense of humor. She gave a lot of plot suggestions when he needed it, and could pull him out of writer's block with a few sarcastic lines and an angry knife emoji. He slowly fell in love with her writing, as well.
And so, reader, you see? This is a relationship in the beginning stages. They've communicated through email and written word, but will it change when they hear each other's voices for the first time? When they see each other's faces for the first time? When they meet for the first time?
Maybe we should find out…
This is Natalya speaking.
Hi! It's Matthias! It's great to finally be speaking to you I guess. It's kinda weird though…
Matthias? I thought you would sound different.
Different? Like what?
More...nevermind.
More what? C'mon, I wanna know!
More annoying.
So I'm not that annoying sounding?
...No, I don't think so.
That's a relief!
Matthias opened the email to see a picture of a pretty girl with silverish-blonde hair, a bow, and a frilly yet plain blue dress, standing in front of a rose bush. She was posed modestly, hands clasped before her, a solemn look on her face, but her eyes sparkling with mischief. The slightest of smiles graced her face.
The email read This is the only picture that my sister took that I actually liked. And she claims to be a photographer. I like her nature photos a lot better. Or maybe I'm just not a picture person.
Matthias thought she was beautiful.
The reply email to Natalya's photo email took about a week to come. The entire time, she was nervous. In her mind, that meant he hated it. She would pace back and forth, then go through some of his unfinished manuscripts and edit a bit, then go back through the first manuscript, the finished one. She finally got to the last page. Or so she thought. There was the unneeded "The End" on the last page, but then there was another page after it she hadn't noticed the first time she had gone through and edited.
I dedicate this book to Natalya, who got me through anything and everything, and made this all worth the work.
Ding.
Rushing over to her inbox, she opened the email from Matthias and clicked on the attachment. And there was who could only be Matthias himself, sitting on a throne made entirely of Legos, a smirk on his face, wild blonde hair everywhere, and blue eyes that said I'll bet you can't do better.
Oh, I'll show you, you adorable man, though Natalya.
You're an idiot, emailed Natalya.
It was three years after Matthias had emailed Natalya the final chapter to his first completed manuscript, and they had finally gotten it accepted at the publishing agency that they had been wishing for. They were asked to both be there to meet with one of the executives.
The first time they saw each other, they tried to act like normal business partners, going along and acting professional the whole time, not noticing the glances the other was sending their way and trying to limit their own amount of glances. But it hardly seemed to work, because after they were told they were both hired, they kissed each other (who kissed who? we will never know) right there in front of everyone.
Of course, each denied kissing each other. But, they still went on that first date a week later. Then another, then another, then another…
Basically, they were in love, and couldn't deny it any longer.
Oh, and Matthias' book was called Searching for That Which Has Been Found. Ironic?