A/N: Time to check in with Doug.
Doug doodled a sketch on the corner of his notes, thinking. It was ironic, really. The actual scientific work that he'd done to create the handheld portal device had seemed like child's play compared to thinking up what to say at its presentation. It helped that it would just be him and two supervisors there. He didn't think he was up to speaking in front of an entire room full of people.
His phone buzzed its way across the worn surface of the workbench, making him jump. Thankful for the distraction – and Aperture Science's signal boosting technology that made it possible – he reached for it.
Chell 12:43pm
Hey, what time are we meeting up?
His mind went blank. Surely she wasn't suggesting…? They had barely talked, she couldn't possibly…
Chell 12:44pm
Oh my god! That wasn't supposed to go to you! Crap, now I'm doing it!
He let out a relieved laugh. He wasn't good at meeting new people, although Chell didn't seem to count, and they'd been chatting just fine in texts. Being able to represent himself with written words alone seemed to take the pressure off their interactions. He was enjoying it, even. She seemed…bright, somehow. There was something about her that made him want to keep talking to her, although he couldn't have put his finger on what it was exactly.
Me 12:45pm
It's fine, you were due
Chell 12:46pm
I guess! Sorry!
He scrolled up, looking through their conversation. He liked that she used full sentences and punctuation, like he did. He found messages laden with text-speak difficult to read. Perhaps she was an avid reader, like him. Maybe he'd ask her sometime, when he felt bolder.
Me 12:56pm
Got any tips for writing a presentation?
Doug asked the question on a whim, tapping his pen against his sparse notepad.
Chell 12:56pm
Are you procrastinating?
Me 12:57pm
Maybe…
Chell 12:57pm
I'm shocked and disappointed :P
To answer your question, no. I'm literally the worst person to ask about public speaking
Me 12:58pm
You can't be as bad as me
Chell 12:58pm
Wanna bet?
He chuckled, tugging his notepad towards him and snapping a picture of it.
Me 1:01pm
[1 attachment]
This is how far I've gotten
Chell 1:02pm
Nice doodle. You've written the title really neatly, so there's that. (Project Presentation is a lame title though, just saying…) That's a lot of blank paper I'm seeing underneath it…
Me 1:03pm
Hence my dilemma
Chell 1:04pm
Ok, you get kudos for using the word 'hence'. It's an under-used word if you ask me
Me 1:04pm
Like 'forthwith'
Chell 1:05pm
Yes! Bring it back!
Doug smiled. She had to be a bookish person. He decided to take a chance.
Me 1:06pm
Are you familiar with Emily Dickinson?
Chell 1:07pm
I saw her on a murder mystery thing once
Me 1:07pm
?
Chell 1:08pm
You Tube. Never mind. No, I'm not, why do you ask?
Oh! Does she use 'forthwith'?
He laughed.
Me 1:09pm
I can't remember, actually. And no reason, I was just going to recommend her
Chell 1:10pm
Cool, I'll check her out.
In the meantime, write your presentation
Doug laughed again, sending off a quick reply before settling to attempt just that.
Me 1:10pm
Yes ma'am
Chell 2:03pm
Not to sound morbid or anything, but I really like 'Because I could not stop for death'
Doug 2:04pm
I like that one too. Have you been Googling this whole time?
Chell 2:05pm
Actually, no, I'm in the library. It has real books and everything
Doug 2:05pm
I'm quite jealous
Chell 2:06pm
Presentation still not good?
Doug 2:06pm
I have a page and a half
Chell 2:07pm
That's an improvement. How much more do you need?
Doug 2:08pm
Not much, thankfully
Chell 2:08pm
Well good luck. And thanks for the recommendation. Got anymore?
Doug 2:09pm
Thanks
Edgar Allen Poe?
Chell 2:09pm
Seriously?
Doug 2:10pm
What's wrong with Poe?
Chell 2:10pm
Nothing! I like Annabel Lee
Doug 2:11pm
Interesting choice
Chell 2:11pm
You'll see why. You have to watch that murder mystery thing now. I'm sending you a link
Doug 2:12pm
I'm still at work
Chell 2:12pm
You'll thank me later
Doug 6:10pm
What is this?
Chell 6:11pm
Stick with it! It gets great
Doug 6:52pm
Okay, I admit it, it's pretty funny
Chell 6:53pm
Told you
Doug 6:53pm
I like H.G. Wells
Chell 6:54pm
Me too, he's kinda cute
Doug 6:55pm
That was not what I meant
Chell 6:55pm
I know but he is. I think it's the geek chic thing
Doug 6:56pm
The what now?
Chell 6:57pm
Geek chic. Like people who might previously have been thought of as nerdy and unappealing are now admired for their smartness. And they embrace their nerdiness and are attractive because of it
Doug 6:58pm
Not sure your logic holds up in the real world
Chell 6:59pm
Sure it does! Are you telling me you've never seen a cute nerd? Like a hot computer technician or an attractive scientist?
Doug 7:00pm
I'm not in the best positon to judge...
Chell 7:00pm
Or someone really stunning holding a pile of books or something
Doug 7:01pm
Okay, that one makes sense
Chell 7:01pm
No it doesn't, I was just messing around.
Anyway, I have to go make some food
Doug 7:02pm
Good luck
"Congratulations, Doug, the portal device is a go," boomed Zach, the slightly-more-superior of his supervisors.
"Thank you, sir," he replied politely. "I'll coordinate with HR and send out applications for test subjects immediately."
"Excellent. Hopefully they can come up with some good puzzles for them to solve."
Doug peered at him, trying not to frown. Aperture's product tests were always bizarrely heavy on puzzles. Sometimes he wondered why they even bothered pretending they were product tests. It seemed clear that the team in Human Resources were keen to test the test subjects rather than the equipment.
"How will puzzle-solving help test the device?" he couldn't help asking meaningfully.
Zach shrugged off the point he was trying to make. "It'll help us get a grasp of how helpful this technology can be. HR have their reasons, you know that."
Doug nodded politely, ignoring the pounding of another headache and realising that he wasn't in the mood for an argument. "Fair enough, sir."
He felt his phone buzz in his jacket's inside pocket, and quashed a small strand of eagerness. Why was it so much easier to talk to a virtual stranger than the people around him?
"I'll get right on the applications," he spoke up, already walking away. His phone was in his hand before he'd fully turned.
Chell 3:10pm
How's your day going?
He couldn't help smiling. Somewhere between the mix up and Emily Dickinson, they'd started chatting like actual friends.
Doug 3:11pm
Not bad. Presentation went well
Chell 3:11pm
Oh great! Congrats
Doug 3:12pm
Thanks. What about yours?
Chell 3:12pm
Slow. I'm really bored
Doug 3:13pm
That explains the texts then
There was more truth to the words than she would know. He sighed, returning the phone to its pocket, riding out the tide of negative thoughts, tiredly countering them with logic.
She's only texting you because she's bored.
Yes, but that doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy chatting. She could have stopped days ago.
You're over-thinking this.
You think?
His phone vibrated. He managed to ignore it for three whole minutes before curiosity made him reach for it.
Chell 3:14pm
No, I didn't mean it like that! Shit, sorry, that sounded so rude
Doug 3:18pm
It's okay, I was just teasing
It was easier to pretend than to explain.
Chell 3:18pm
Ok, good
Doug considered replying again, but let it lie. He wasn't sure what else to say. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he turned his attention to the applications that needed writing.
A/N: The murder mystery thing that Chell recommends is a real thing! Check out Edgar Allen Poe's Murder Mystery Dinner Party if you enjoy seeing a bunch of famous authors get picked off one by one!
I realised I've never really written anything exploring Doug's love of Emily Dickinson, so I took the chance here. There's a cube-focused version of 'Because I Could Not Stop For Death' in one of the dens in Portal 1. I forget which one, though.