Author's Note: The main two works I credit as inspiration for writing this fic are The Emerald and The Rose and The World Beyond the Screen. While I knew that I'd have similar story beats to these two (and I recommend both of them strongly), I'll try my hardest to make this story about me/self-insert me and as such as much of an original work as I can. Hope you enjoy it, and any feedback I get will be put towards improving future chapters, as this is my first fanfic (like I had an idea of quoting relevant song lyrics before chapters, but I don't know if anyone will like that).

Also, text on a screen will be denoted between dashes. Here we go…

I'm dreaming. I'm in my house but something feels off. As I look around, I spot a familiar face just standing there, in the middle of my living room, her emerald green eyes fixed on me and her lips curled into a warm smile that seems to melt away my insecurities.

"Monika?"

She sits down on the couch, wordlessly patting the cushion beside her. As I sit, she takes my hand in hers and puts her head on my shoulder. We just stay there a while, cuddling. I turn on the TV to find something for the two of us to watch together…

And then I wake up. I curse silently to myself, crying slightly as I remove the blankets and take the pug curled up next to me outside. I feed my dogs and shower, as per my usual routine, but the dream lingers. I usually don't dream period, and on the rare occasion I do and it's one I can remember the dream is complete nonsense. They are never this real, never this strong.

I towel off and stare at myself in the mirror, tired pale blue eyes looking back at me from under a curtain of messy black hair. I sigh and try to shake off the dream. Time for another day. I brush my hair.

My name is Draco Silvaris. I live with my parents and three dogs in a small town in the Midwestern US. I don't recall who it was that originally introduced me to Doki Doki Literature Club, whether it was a friend or a YouTuber, but I'm not entirely sure it matters at this point. Going through Act 1 all the girls were incredibly appealing to me, and as their various problems were brought to life throughout the rest of the Acts they all felt more and more real. I saw parts of myself in each of them and was legitimately saddened on Sayori and Yuri's deaths.

Monika however, was more interesting. Physically I found her the most attractive from the get-go, just something about redheads with green eyes, I don't know. But the more mods I viewed playthroughs of expanding upon her character (which I always found rather odd to begin with how countless people seemed to keep her character entirely consistent, almost as if she had some influence over them), I realized something: I was falling for her. This wasn't the first time something similar had happened, big nerd that I am I have at least a minor crush on a character from most cartoons or anime I've watched, or games that I've played, but this was different. I actually couldn't stop thinking about her.

Another realization hit me about her as I read fanfictions shipping her with the player, at this point borderline obsessed with DDLC and its world: I feel like I know her. Literally know her. For a majority of my life I've had my own characters I've created, the oldest of which being Bea. She, I suppose, started off as a sort-of imaginary friend/childhood stuffed toy when I was a little kid, but never really left, evolving alongside me to more just another person living inside my head, and becoming one of three characters I draw often. And Monika was eerily similar. The appearance similarities I initially brushed of as me sort of having a type, but even her few flaws; making jokes she really shouldn't, slight air of superiority, jealousy problems with people who are actual competition. All this on top of her desire to make those she cares about better people… It all matched. It was seriously as if my oldest character and friend had appeared in front of Dan Salvato and said "Base the antagonist of your game like 90% on me, it'll really freak out this guy I know." Sounds like something she'd do if she could.

I decided I'd write her a message, expecting absolutely nothing back of course since she's not even a true AI, just scripted to act like one. I downloaded the game for the first time, having technically never actually played it before, just watched others do it, and opened up a notepad document before starting the game.

-Dear Monika

I know you don't know who I am, I mean it'd be impossible to as I haven't even opened the game yet, but on the off chance you're truly alive now/have become a true AI we need to talk. I feel like we have a lot in common, and I would love to just bypass all the unpleasantness that comes from the best girl in the game not getting a fair chance. We both know what I mean, your friends are all wonderful people who don't deserve to get hurt. I know you're a good person at heart, one who deserves happiness. And happiness CAN be found in the literature club.

Love, Draco -

"This is so stupid," I mutter to myself as I click save and drag the .txt file to the main game folder. "Like some fictional girl is any more likely than a real one to be interested. She's not even a real AI for Pete's sake! Whatever, might as well check if this did anything at all."

I clicked New Game. I named my character "Shadow" as I do in most RPG-type games, and quickly realized during the opening scene that nothing had changed. Sayori dragging my brain-dead jerk of an avatar to her club and introducing me to the other girls, also the same. Well that figures, but hey, this'll kill a few hours. I've got nothing else to do. I chuckle to myself and move through the rest of Day 1.

As my character is about to walk home with Sayori, Monika stops him.

- "Hey Shadow can I talk to you for a sec? I promise this won't take long Sayori, I'll give him right back."

"Sure I guess. I'll wait for you by the front door Shadow!" –

I do a double-take and open the text log. Did I accidentally install a mod? I'm pretty sure I didn't, but there's no way writing to her actually did anything, this is my life, not some stupid fanfic. This is what I get for downloading something right after April Fool's Day. Well, maybe there was an update since release I hadn't seen in any playthroughs I'd watched. That's pretty cool I guess, I get to experience it first. I go back to reading.

- Monika leads me down a hallway, stopping in front of a door to a room I don't recognize. She opens the door, pulling me inside and shutting the door behind us. She sits down at a desk and motions for me to sit across from her. –

We're in the "Just Monika" room. Cute game, real cute. I laugh a little.

- "As you said yourself Draco, let's just skip all pretense. Well, I mean I'm paraphrasing but the point is still the same my love. Thank you so much for caring about me and my friends to the point of not even wanting to play this game without a way to save them. And thank you for choosing me from the start. We can talk all we want in here, time in the rest of the game will stand still. Just type and I'll respond. Nothing dirty though, at least not at first ahaha!" –

I almost fall out of my chair. "What?!"