Delivery for Enzo Matrix and Dani Phantom

[ostro_goth]

The next time Enzo and Dani come to Milliways, the bar will give them a a small pouch made from supple, sturdy leather with an interesting beige and bright red pattern; it contains two rings made of smooth, matte mokume-gane with three stones set flush into the metal, one blue-red-blue, the other red-blue-red, and a note:

I hope these are as you wished them to be; if so, pay as agreed at your convenience. If not, find me for amends.

- TTT

Comments

[a1enzo]

Despite all the current tension in Milliways, Enzo brightens immediately when Bar presents him with the pouch. He can feel the shapes of the objects within, but he doesn't open it yet. Instead, he produces from his belt a packet of treats and shows them to his pet.

"Okay, Minus, you ready to try this for real?" Minus chimes eagerly and turns a somersault. "All right. Message for Dani: 'The rings are ready!'"

Minus has successfully interfaced with their portal's commlink at close range, but this is the first time he's tried doing it from Milliways. He waves his tentacles in concentration for a moment, then emits a triumphant Ping!

Enzo grins and gives Minus a treat. If everything works as intended, the message should be relayed from Minus to the portal to Dani's cell phone.

[ami_imperfect]

A few minutes later the door to Milliways opens and Dani jogs through. "It worked!" she calls to Enzo, waving her phone in the air.

[a1enzo]

Enzo waves back. "Alphanumeric! Attaboy, Minus!" He offers a finger, which the proud little nautilus high-tentacles.

[ami_imperfect]

"So, are they here?" she asks.

[a1enzo]

Enzo jingles the pouch at her. "I haven't looked yet, but they sure feel like rings."

[ami_imperfect]

She smirks a little at him. "Well, good. Because if you'd seen them without me we might have a problem."

[a1enzo]

"C'mon, we'll have to convert mine. Let's take 'em upstairs... I mean," he corrects himself, and points skyward while declaring with suitable drama, "to the digimat!"

[ami_imperfect]

Dani dissolves into giggles. "To the digimat!" she echoes.

[a1enzo]

To the digimat!

* * * * *

Enzo carefully tips out the contents of the pouch into Dani's palm.

"Oh, wow. Those are really nice."

[ami_imperfect]

"Yeah, they are," Dani agrees. "That moku-whatsits he used turned out really nice. I'm glad we decided to go with it."

[a1enzo]

"Way cooler than a plain old diamond."

[ami_imperfect]

"Definitely."

[a1enzo]

Enzo takes the larger ring, the one with the central garnet, from Dani's hand and places it reverentially on the whitewashed target pedestal. He adjusts the digimat settings and nods at the big red button. "You want to do the honours?"

[ami_imperfect]

She nods solemnly. "I would be delighted."

Then her serious expression disappears, and with a wide grin she slaps her hand down on the big red button.

[a1enzo]

The ring vanishes in only a few flashes of the laser; when it reappears, there's no real visible difference, and only a slight textural one. Enzo retrieves it and gives it to Dani in exchange for the smaller one. Rings may not be a sprite custom, but it's pretty obvious how certain things ought to be done.

"left_hand[3]*, right?" he asks, taking her hand.


*Counting from the thumb as index 0, of course.

[ami_imperfect]

"Right." She nods.

[a1enzo]

He pauses a moment longer, smirking. "Ready to make the press go totally bananas?"

[ami_imperfect]

Her smirk matches his. "Absolutely."

[a1enzo]

The smirk broadens into an outright smile as he slips the ring onto her finger, then offers her his own left hand.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani bites her lip and then grins as she takes Enzo's hand, then takes the larger ring and slips it onto his finger.

[a1enzo]

He moves the neighbouring fingers around and rubs the ring with his thumb, feeling the new presence. Then he lifts Dani's chin and kisses her, with a feeling of concluding a ceremony, or practising for one still to come.

[ami_imperfect]

Dani is caught up in playing with her own ring when Enzo kisses her, a gesture she immediately reciprocates.

[a1enzo]

When the kiss concludes, Enzo is silent for a moment while he collects himself from a place beyond thought.

Then, still smiling, he says, "So... now what? I guess we go show 'em off to our folks?"

Or, you know, their entire worlds. Showing off is what engagement rings are for.

[ami_imperfect]

"We'd better. If the media gets wind of these before Mom and Jazz get a chance to see, I'll never hear the end of it," she answers.

[a1enzo]

Enzo nods agreement, and kisses her again, and looks to the corner where Minus had been told to put up an away message and occupy himself with a length of string.

"...edit that. First we detangle Minus, then we show our folks."

[ami_imperfect]

Taking one look at Minus, Dani bursts into giggles.

"Sounds like a plan to me."