(From a list of '100 ways to say I love you', I've been taking requests for HN minichapters. Thanks to tumblr user whcatley for requesting this one: "It reminded me of you.")
Chapter Ten.
"Always on my mind."
ooo
The morning after Chell's suddenly-returned nightmare, she awoke only barely remembering it for a moment before it all flooded back. She still had no clue what had prompted her unconscious brain to bring that back. But she could ignore it. She could pretend it had never happened - and in fact, she planned to. She didn't want to focus on that paralyzing fear, that choking silence before the bursts of earsplitting noise preceding what would have been a bloody, painful death. She didn't want to focus on the negative aspects of something her brain had manufactured, when she could instead think about the positive aspects of something that had actually happened. She remembered waking up in tears as the imagined pain dissolved, and not a second later GLaDOS had been by her side, asking what had happened and how she could help. She remembered the softness, the warmth, the safety of GLaDOS's embrace. And she remembered the amazingly humanlike tone GLaDOS's voice had taken on as she soothed her.
There had been times early on when Chell doubted GLaDOS's true motives, when she worried whether the AI was really concerned for Chell's happiness or for her own personal gain. After all, this was the same - person? - who had trapped and teased and endangered Chell for what could have been weeks or months or years. How did she know GLaDOS even understood love?
But it was moments like that night, enveloped in GLaDOS's gentle embrace, hearing her whispered reassurances, seeing her immediate response, that proved that she meant every word. Her voice had become so quiet and warm and soothing, so unbelievably and uncharacteristically human. You simply couldn't fake that.
So when she would get texts from GLaDOS containing links to various love songs with the message "This reminded me of you", she knew it was genuine.
As Chell opened her phone to find a new one at the top of her messages, she had to wonder what GLaDOS was doing finding love songs on YouTube and sending them to her when she was allegedly meant to be overseeing test construction and whatnot, but she wasn't about to question an unexpected cute message and a pretty song in the middle of and otherwise rather uneventful afternoon. Smiling, she listened to the song, read the lyrics, and added it to an ever-growing playlist entitled "the love of my life". She let the playlist loop for the next few hours. Some of the first ones she'd ever received she had now heard so many times she knew all the words by heart. She hummed along as she opened a new tab on unspecified mobile internet browser. She wanted to do something for GLaDOS in return, and decided to look for a gift for her. It didn't take her long to find something - her heart melted when she saw the way the color and sparkle resembled her eyes. We should have something to match each other, she thought, and bought two of them, each in a different, but perfect color.
It was a couple of days later when they arrived. Chell and GLaDOS were returning home from an outing when Chell said quietly, "I'm going to go check the mail. I'll meet you up there, okay?"
"You don't want me to wait for you?" GLaDOS asked. It wasn't a big deal, but it was a little strange.
"I'll be fine," Chell reassured her. She pulled the AI closer and kissed her gently. "It'll just be a couple minutes. You go on ahead."
"If you say so," GLaDOS said, hesitating to let go of Chell's hand before heading up the steps to Chell's front door. She unlocked the door, closing it behind her but deciding to leave it unlocked for Chell. She sat sideways on the couch, back against the armrest (I guess "gays being unable to sit normally" extends to cores too) and, not needing to resort to such human entertainment as turning on the TV, decided to play and sing one of the many songs she'd written. The moment she finished the last line, she heard the doorknob turning. It was like they were mentally connected - though GLaDOS swore she wasn't telepathic. That would be incredibly advanced, even for Aperture.
"I have something for you," Chell announced as she came in. "Look at these."
She held her hand out to reveal two silver rings, one a little smaller and bearing a sparkling blue gemstone, the other with a glowing golden orange one. She held up the orange one. "This one reminded me of you. Of your eyes."
GLaDOS picked up the blue one, knowing it would better fit her slender fingers. "I was just going to say this one looked like yours." Chell grinned as GLaDOS put hers on. "Chell, it's so beautiful! I love it."
"I love you," Chell responded, pulling her girlfrend into a tight hug.
"I love you too," GLaDOS murmured. They stood in each other's arms for awhile, starting to sway side to side, and not planning to let go for a long time.
ooo
Hey hi it's been a hot second but i felt bad about not having this up because it was a request but it took me million years to decide where to take it OOPS so i'm sorry whcatley that it took so long!!!
speaking of things taking a long time, i don't have any more chapters in progress. hopefully i can pump something out because i'd like to honor this fic's one year of release next-ish month i think. but we'll see.
i am working on another portal fic in addition!! it is based on my blog aperturesciencecoreresearchteam and while it may not get posted for quite awhile i wanted to let you know that i am still writing at least a little bit haha
ok long notes are cheating at wordcount bye