-Mucho and Guendolen Only-

[MuchoMachoMachine]

We both know the plot so I'll just post the template.

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Personality:
History:
Appearance:
Outfit:
Other:

[Guendolen_Sama]

(One dreamer authoress for you!)

Name: Selena Channary
Age: 23
Gender: female
Personality: Selena is a dreamer, through and through. Always has been, always will be. Some may say she’s a pie in the sky idealist, or she needs to plant her feet back on earth. But still she perseveres anyway. She’s highly imaginative, and tends to see ideas everywhere she goes. Mostly she tends to be a quiet sort, drifting along, watching life. But a part of her burns for more. To really go out, risk it all, deeply, purely live. Perhaps that’s why she writes the stories she does. It’s been the only outlet for those energies. After all, she may be a certified dreamer, but she knows some things don’t exist in real life. Sad, but true.
History: Selena’s life has mostly been an unexciting one. She grew up in a small town, lived in a house with her parents and a couple pet cats, went to school…. No grand dramas or life-changing shakes, no horrible trauma or grand tragedies. Just a very normal, very average life. Perhaps that explains why she came out as she did, though. Selena has been an avid daydreamer since her early childhood, spinning wild and whimsical tales inside her head. When she got older, she started transcribing them. That was when she decided she wanted to be an author.
For the first several years, she had no idea that what she was writing was fantasy. That came later. She just knew it felt right. And the older she got, the stronger it go. The real world was just so… flat, to her. Everything the same, so quiet, so settled. So mundane. And no one seemed to see it but her. Why? Was it the small town life? Or were they just content with what they could see and feel? Why did no one ever seem to want to go that extra length, reach the distance to make it more?
Selena tried going to a big city for college. That only worked to an extent. It was exciting at first, and gave her plenty of writing ideas. But… in the end… everyone was still the same. Just in a bigger place. It was rather disheartening, really. But still she persevered, determined to find her way. She finished college, settled down in that same city, determined to write. For now she works in a bookstore to make ends meet, and writes in the evenings. Some part of her is lonely; she wishes she had someone to share her life with. Maybe then it would feel less bland and repetitive. So she pours her feelings into her characters. They really do seem to come to life on the page, for her. Especially her hero. She’s determined to make this work. Bring them to life. Make them breathe, on the page. Then, she will find her way. Somehow.
Appearance: http://media.photobucket.com/image/anime%20woman/akinek0/amalthea.png?o=122
Outfit: See above
Other: The silver crescent moon pendant is a family heirloom, and she always wears it.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Name: Christopher Grey
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Personality: He is a charming person and very nice. He doesn't get angered very easily unless provoked. He tends to put others needs before his. He only fights when he needs to and is very determined.
History: Well he's a story book character who has lived quite the adventorous life. He was originally the prince of a magnificent kingdom but was forced to flee after his evil father wanted the throne forever. He traveled far away doing his best to avoid his fathers guard that were on the lookout for him. One day he meets an old swordsman who teaches him swordsmanship and helps him decide to take the thrown from his father. The guard though finds out about this and on Christophers way back to his kingdom, he is always followed by his father's soilders, causing his trip to be more deathly than he could ever imagine.
Appearance:http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k236/waltzmoore14/1a.jpg
Outfit: In picture.
Other: None.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Mine is way small compared to yours!))

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((I'm tired. Imma go to bed but I'll be on later today. See ya!))

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I tend to get wordy when I make my profiles. I, well, have a bit of a reputation for it, really.... I'm known for fine detail and what not. But if you're worried, just add more! No need to hurry. Have fun with the book background. Make him as supernatural and crazy as you want! I wasn't deciding anything, as he's your character. I need to go to bed soon anyway, as I'm quite tired, so take your time. :))

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((I added a bit more to it, provided more background, and I'm pretty satisfied with it. Anything you think I should add?))

[Guendolen_Sama]

(That's up to you, really. I'd been thinking more urban fantasy, but this works too. Now we can have fun with culture shock about modern amenities and so forth, which can be highly amusing. :) But just one little thing- in this instance, it's spelled "throne." It's what you sit on, not tossing in the past tense, after all! Homonyms are tricky buggers.... Sorry, bit of a pet peeve of mine.)

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Haha. No need to apologize, I'm glad you told me. I would've spelled it right but I wasn't really paying attention. :o So, would you like to do the honor of starting?))

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I'm just glad you're not offended! And just give me a minute to think. I feel limp and floppy and lethargic right now, so getting my brain started into something new is more of a challenge than normal.)

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((I wouldn't be offended by someone correcting my spelling since I do it all the time. In other RPs I've made I hate it when people want to join and I know they aren't very literate, but I dont' have the heart to tell them no. I usually end up quitting the RP because of it. My brains letting me know how hungry I am constantly.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

(You're not the only one. So many people say they don't have the heart to turn away those who don't fit the criteria.... I can practice with you if you like, so you can get more comfortable with it. ;) Even though I can say I would have no qualms about it. That's only because I'm so very picky.)

A half-moon glowed in the sky, but for once Selena didn't see it. Usually staring out at the sky was a source of great inspiration, for her.... But tonight, she was too focused on the creation itself. Another scene, a climactic one. Her hero was on the run from the guards again.... Pinned, nowhere to look or turn to. But then-
"Come. This way." A voice whispered out of the shadows, light and soft as a shadow itself. AS Christopher looked, the bearer of the voice came forward. Silken white-blond hair; skin so pale as to be translucent. But dark, dark eyes, huge in a slim, fine-boned face. A woman ethereal and otherworldly....
And so very familiar. Luna, her name was. They had met before. Been parted sharply. Somehow, she was back....
Her hand reached for his. "I know a secret way out," she whispered, voice soft but urgent. "I will explain later. There is no time to waste.... And indeed, even as she spoke, hounds bayed, and hooves clattered, and doom teetered on the brink of descension.
Selena leaned back in her chair, rifling her hands through her bangs. So many words moved through her mind, so many possibilities. So much she wanted to do, yet. There had been a chemistry between Christopher and Luna, when they had met first. A strong pull. Should she play into it here? Or was it too soon? She didn't want to rush it, no matter how she felt-
What am I thinking? It's not like it's me in there!
The only trouble was... did she want it to be?...
The more Selena wrote, the more she got absorbed. And the more she worried. Christopher was, well, he was.... She found herself thinking of him at odd moments. Getting ready in the morning, at work, so on and so forth. Sometimes it was inspirations, ideas. But others, just... thoughts.
He was real. That's all it was. Lifelike. Three-dimensional.
There was no way she could have a crush on a fictional character. Especially not one of her own creation.
This is ridiculous. Selena pushed herself away from her desk, went into the kitchen to get a drink. She hadn't gone on a date in too long, that was her problem. But men were so prosaic, so... crude. Not like the one in her book. "Oh, stop it," she told herself. She was acting like a stupid teenage girl....
That was what you got for internalizing your writing, maybe. For really trying to bring those characters to life.... But maybe, just maybe, she needed to get out more. Or maybe just needed a change. Yes, that was it. A change....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((I thought I'd write it like Christopher won't do anything more in the book until Selena writes something else. Until he comes out of the book that is...))

Christopher glanced at the sound of thundering hooves as Luna called to him to come with her... and there is where everything stopped.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(Oh, you can write snippets of the book from his perspective, if you want! I don't care. I can only write so many scenes without having him act, you know. I'm trying not to do anything from his perspective, seeing as he's your character and all.)

A change. A change.... The words echoed in Selena's mind as she went back to her desk. Took up her pen. A lot of her first drafts were written on paper; she edited and revised as she typed it, up, afterwards. It was an odd method, but one that worked for her.
Luna felt a warm frisson as their hands touched. His fingers were rough, callused; swordsman's hands. She tried to ignore the feeling as she turned back to the wall. It looked blank, to the untrained eye. But she pressed a few depressions in a certain order, and... a portal opened. The pair could dimly see a crude stone staircase leading downwards, narrow and dank and flanked with cobwebs. "This way is very old-"
Then the door crashed open. A soldier, bare blade in hand, stood framed in the night outside. Rain pelted around him, thunder crashing. A flash of lightning brought him out in harsh silhouette, fearsome and unyielding. Luna shrieked, tugging on Christopher, trying to drag him into the doorway-
Wait, where had the storm come from? It hadn't been storming before....
That was when a rumble of thunder sounded in the real world, long and low, but insistent too, like the growl of a guard dog. Selena looked around. She hadn't known it was supposed to storm, this night. Maybe she ought to get her candles out.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((OK. I wasn't really sure how to start off with him but now I am.))

Christopher grasped Luna's hand tightly and finally followed Luna into the hallway. The two were immediately surrounded by darkness that seemed to press down upon them.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(That's good! I'm trying to use the storm as the gateway for the emergence. You bring him out whenever you want to. Feel free to make up book events, by the way.)

The wooden door shut behind them; the sound it made was louder than anything that light had any right to be. There was a bellow of rage, and moments later, the portal shook as the soldier tried to slam it open.
"Down! Before he gets it open! Luna tugged on Christopher more insistently. Her feet made nary a sound as she pattered down the stairs. And behind them all, the thunder rumbled.
It also rumbled and crashed around Selena. She was wrapped up in the story, again. The sounds of thunder, the drumming rain, flickering flashes of lightning.... Selena was losing herself in the world. It was almost like the storm transported her. Her pen flew, words coming out almost faster than she could think them. She could almost feel the stone wall against her hand as Luna's slimmer, paler digits skimmed it, the shouting, a drip of water.... It was all there, so vivid. Like it was closing around her....
The lights about her flickered, and she barely noticed. Just kept writing. Flickered again. Selena was seeing fluttering torchlight, though.... So real, so clear. Everything was falling into place so vividly.....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Okie dokie smokie!))

Christopher followed Luna, stumbling a bit in the darkness. He felt odd, like he was falling away. He looked down at their entwined hands and realized his was fading away as was the rest of his body. The thunder and lightning continued around him as did the shouting but it was getting quiet, more muffled. He looked around confused as one by one, the things around him faded away. The torches went out and then disappeared and in it's place, was a lamp. Christopher looked at it, confused, never having seen something like it before. The stone walls around him faded away, leaving smoother ones where they once were. The sensation of falling was greater now as he looked down seeing that most of the lower half of his body had disappeared.

[Guendolen_Sama]

The two were running, running, behind them the sound of wood crashed and splintered, Luna screamed.... Selena felt as though she were actually watching it, she could see it all so clearly, practically feel it as though it were her hand drawing Christopher along, not Luna's. Her pulse fluttered, imagining the sensation; she tamped it down....
Then the lights went out.
The sudden blindness was enough to jolt Selena out of her writer's reverie. The storm raged on outside, more powerful than before Must've knocked a power line out. Irritated now at having been knocked out of her best writing session in ages, she got up. Fumbled across her small apartment to try to find where she had her candles and matches. I hope this storm doesn't go on too long. Even the air felt strange. Almost like it crackled with energy....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christophere fell, landing heavily on a hard floor. He couldn't see anything until the lightning flashed, illumintating where he was. Strange objects that he'd never seen before were all around him. He heard noise coming from somewhere around him. He stood up, his hand on his sword hilt, waiting to see where he was and who or what was making the noise.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena rustled through her kitchen drawers, seeking any sort of portable light source. She could just imagine her mother telling her, You should have gotten it out as soon as the storm started! But she'd been writing! And distracted....
Just as her hands closed around a flashlight, a loud thump sounded in her living room. Like something falling over.... Or rather, someone falling down. Selena's heart all but stopped, for a minute. There couldn't be an intruder. Could there?...
She reached for the only weapon-ish item she knew was readily at hand; a rolling pin, sticking out of a jar of cooking implements on the counter. She couldn't fight, but if someone had broken into her apartment....
Creeping back towards the source of the sound, Selena tried to stay calm. "Who's there?" she called. "I- I must warn you, I'm armed!" With a rolling pin, but armed nonetheless.... She flipped on the light, filling the room with luminence. There was a dark shape on the floor. A masculine shape. Shadowy, but... somehow, familiar too....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher hopped up, his sword out. "Who are you and why did you bring me here,"he asked, poiting the sword at Selena. His dark purple hair fell in his face making it hard for him to see but he stood his ground, watching her with hard, yet frightened, eyes.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena gasped, falling back a step. It was a man- he had a sword- he was pointing it at her- her heart pounded wildly, rising into her throat-
But that voice- it was one she had heard. Not in her ears, but in her mind. The toss of the hair... that stance.... She knew this man. But they had never met he was....
Selena could feel a ringing in her ears, a thick insistent buzz. The room was spinning- she was light-headed.... No. This can't be.... But she swayed on her feet. He who stood before her was none other than.... "Christopher...."
The name came out as a barely audible croak. Perhaps that was to be expected. Her creation, her storybook hero, was standing in the middle of her living room, large and solid and very much alive....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"H-how do you know my name? And speak quickly,"Christopher commanded, really confused as to how this uknown woman knew who he was.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Oh God. Oh God.... Selena was practically hyperventilating, by now. Her ears rang, her vision clouded.... This can't be happening. It couldn't be. She felt herself swaying on her feet. The rolling pin slipped from nerveless fingers, tumbling to the floor with a wooden thud. That hand caught at the wall, trying to remain on her feet.
"I- I-" Again, that barely audible croak. Everything in her mind rebelled. Told her this was impossible. Yet... there he was. The clothes, as she had last described. The hair, face, voice, all exactly out of her mind. Even the way he stood, moved. Just the way she had seen him....
But how? How? He wasn't real! He'd been in a story! "I... created you...." she gasped, a frantic edge to her words. The buzzing intensified. Everything was looking blurry....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Created me? What do you mean,"Christopher asked, lowering his sword a bit.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"I mean- I-" Selena swallowed. Her mouth felt like she'd been eating cotton, her throat as though it were constructing. A dim thought drifted through, wondering if she was coming down with something.... But no, it was all... this. This shock. The unreality of it all. She still couldn't fathom how it was even possible.
Her hand stretched forward, fingers trembling. "I- book- writing- you were in it- the hero- I wrote you- the storm-"
It was too much. The ringing in her ears was so loud she could hardly hear. Her stance swayed. White clouded over her vision, misty and thick. And then, Selena toppled over in a dead faint.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher's brain worked frantically to sort things out. He didn't understand that if he was a book character, how he came here, wherever here was. He looked over at Selena, realizing she had fainted. Though he was still confused and a bit frightened he still knew the chivalrous thing to do would be to put her to bed. He sheathed his sword and walked over to Selena's limp form, lifting her up easily. He searched the rooms until finally finding the bedroom. He sat her down on the bed then left for a second. He came back with a chair, sitting it down beside her bed, and waiting for her to wake up.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Something was soft under her. Wait. That wasn't the carpet. Had it all been a dream? Had she gone to bed and, still thinking about her novel, conjured up an insanely detailed dream?... This budding crush on a fictional character was getting really out of hand.... Maybe she'd see if one of her friends could set her up, as a distraction....
But if she'd gone to bed... why was shy lying on top of the covers? And still dressed? Selena didn't remember lying down to take a nap.... She stirred, her eyes feeling gummy at first. It took a minute to get the lashes unstuck. Her head still felt woozy.... She looked around. Ceiling? Check. Quilt? Check. Funky bedside lamp? Check.
Fictional character come to life sitting beside her bed, watching her? Check....
Selena sat up abruptly. "Ull...." Her hand went to her temple as the blood came rushing back. "You're still here." The words sounded thick, to her, and her tongue felt too big in her mouth. Unwieldy. "You weren't a dream. How did you come here?" Another flash of lightning flickered, throwing his features into sharp silhouette. This was so insane....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I'm not really sure how I got here. One minute I was being chased by guards and going down a tunnel with Luna and the next thing I know, I'm here,"Christopher said. "Ummm, where exactly is here,"he asked, watching her warily.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"I can't believe this," Selena murmured. "I simply can't.... This is too surreal. I've got to be dreaming." She studied him. Slowly, her hand wandered out. Touched his arm. Fingers pressed softly, tentatively. It felt... really real.... She gulped. That was too solid and warm to be real.... "Here is far from where you started out," she said softly. "I don't know how you go here, but you're so far from home...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Which is kind of a good thing. I don't know how father's guards would find me here,"Christopher said, trying to smile at her. "Do you know how I can get home,"he asked.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Oh, that smile.... It lit up his whole face. Selena had pictured that smile. It seemed even brighter here.... She coughed, hiding her face behind her hand for a moment. "You see, that's where it gets complicated," she said softly. "To you, that was... where you lived. But to me... your home... was a story inside my head...." Did this sound as freakish to him as it did to her? "Maybe I ought to just show you...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That would probably be best. I'm having a hard time following with you just telling me,"Christopher said, sighing and standing up. He offered her a hand to help her off the bed.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena blinked for a minute. You didn't get too much chivalry, in the 21st century.... Then it sunk in he was offering her assistance, and she accepted the hand.
It felt just like she had imagined it.... Just as she swore Luna felt, when she had been leading him along in the story. Selena's fingers tightened, quivering, just a bit as she slid off the bed. "Thank you," she murmured, head down just a bit, feeling suddenly shy. Self-conscious. Heck, that was why so few dates worked before; she often got tongue-tied around men.
But she tried not to think about that as she led him into the main room, to her desk. "Here. See this?" She held up the thick notebook. "This is my story. My world. Just... read it...." Selena thrust the booklet at him, heart in her mouth. What would he think when he saw her words?

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher took the book out of her hands and sat down against the wall. He read the long story of his life from start to finish. Everything was written down, just how he remembered it. It stopped right after he and Luna had went into the staircase. He looked at the booklet for a bit before looking back at Selena. "You know me better than I know myself,"he said, handing the book back to her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

It took him a long time to read it. Luckily the lights had come back on, while she was in her bedroom.... The storm still poured down a deluge outside, but it wasn't clattering and flashing anymore. That was good, at least.
Still, she twisted the dropped flashlight in her hands as she watched him, biting her lip nervously. The novel had been about a third completed, maybe, tonight. So he had a lot to read.... "I- I hope you had no trouble with it-" she murmured, slowly taking the notebook back. "I- I mean, I created this world months ago...." So in essence, on some other plane of existence, she had in effect brought him to life. That felt so strange.... "I- I don't know what to do now," she said softly, now fidgeting with the paper notebook.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I honestly don't know either,"Christopher said, a far away look on his face. "I guess getting some sleep would be smart,"he said shrugging.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"If you like.... I can make up a bed for you, I'm sorry I don't have a spare one, it's always just been me, you see-" Oh, she was babbling! "Or you can have my room! I can sleep on the couch, it's no trouble, and it's my fault you're here, so I mean, I really ought to make up for it, it's a big bed so you'll be very comfortable-" Now she was babbling even more! Inside, Selena found herself cringing at how she must sound. But she wasn't used to having men stay over! He seemed to be dealing with it okay right now, but maybe it was still sinking in. She'd have to be prepared to see a freak-out tomorrow morning. If he's still here.... He might vanish in the night. Like a dream....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"No, you sleep in here. I'll sleep on the couch. I'm usually used to sleeping on the ground anyways so this is an improvement,"Christopher said smiling at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

He was being chivalrous again.... Selena tried to ignore the effect of that smile, hands fidgeting. She was determined to be hospitable. "Oh, I couldn't possibly. I mean, I'm your hostess, basically, so I mean, I can't stick you on a couch when I have a bed, it's not right...." In times when female friends stayed over, she might have shared her room with them. But she wasn't about to recommend that here! Just the thought made her blush.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"No. I insist you sleep in your own bed, and I will not take no for an answer. You created me after all and this is the least I can do to repay you,"Christopher said. "Now you go to sleep in your own bed and I'll take my spot on the couch,"he said, walking out of her room and to the couch.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Um- well- okay." Selena sighed, shoulder slumping a little bit. "But let me get you some sheets and a pillow and stuff- hold on-" She all but ran to the linen closet, extracting a set of sheets, an extra blanket, and a pillow. "Let me make it like a bed for you-" She started tossing the sheets on the couch, arranging them. "If you need any help or don't know what or where something is, just ask me- I'm sorry I don't have any pajamas for you-" She was really going to have to work on this babbling reflex.
But he was probably going to be very confused, once he had a good look around. After all, he was from a fantasy world. No indoor plumbing or electricity or any of the amenities she lived among. She was going to have to explain an awful lot of things, to him.... Should she show him the bathroom and how it worked, just to be safe? Last thing she needed was for him to wander out into the streets looking for an outhouse. He might get hit by a car! "And- and don't leave this apartment until tomorrow, please!"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you for all of this. It's very kind,"Christopher said as she set up a makeshift bed for him on the couch. "And I won't leave this... what did you call it again... oh yes, apartment,"he said, sitting down on the couch.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do, given, you know, circumstances." Selena started to reach out and give his shoulder a comforting squeeze, but changed her mind at the last minute. No, bad idea, bad idea.... "Are you okay? Will you be comfortable? Do you need anything to eat or drink or whatever?..." Her fingers twisted around each other again as she bit her lower lip. This was such a skewed, crazy situation. And she still wanted to be a good hostess, too....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"If you don't mind, some water would be nice. As long as it's not too much trouble,"Christopher asked politely. Even though his father was an evil, controlling tyrant, Christopher turned out as a nice person who always knew to be polite and chivalrous to women.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Of course I don't mind, water's no trouble, just hold on-" Of course Selena knew Christopher was polite! She had made him, after all. He'd ended up so being raised mostly by servants, who thus influenced him more than his tyrannical father ever had.... She all but ran into the kitchen, filling a tall glass from the pitcher she always kept in the refrigerator, dropping a few ice cubes in it for good measure. "Here you go." She held it out to him. "Are you, you know, hungry or anything?..."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Now that you mention it... but I don't want to trouble you. I feel like I'm asking for so much,"Christopher said, holding the glass in his hands. She had already done so much for him already and he felt rude asking for more.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"You wouldn't be here if not for me," Selena replied, in all truth and complete honesty. After all, she had created him; or at least called his existence into verification, anyway. "So I should say that I owe you, for somehow dragging you out of your world and into mine. What would you like?" She hoped she could find some approximation of his favored fare in her fridge and cupboards.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Well, what do you have,"Chris asked. Considering this place was so different than his own home, he did know what kind of food was available here.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Um... well.... Simple things, mostly, since I just cook for me." It was often tricky to prepare meals for one. Most recipes tended to call for two or more servings. And you could only eat leftovers for so long.... "I have rice of a few different flavors, pasta noodles and sauce- both red and white- vegetables, a few different kinds of meat in my freezer- chicken, some beef and pork- bread, peanut butter.... Um, a few other things...." She bit her lip, again. "Want to just come look?"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"If you don't mind,"Christopher replied smiling and standing up. A few of the things she'd listed didn't even sound like a food to him.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Of course, you're here now, that'd be silly-" Oh, she should shut up! It sounded like he was moving in, not just visiting.... Selena tried not to think what would happen if he couldn't get home again. She coughed, clearing her throat. "But come on, we'll have a look-" She led him into the kitchen, flipping on the light switch as she passed it, by the door. "These are the cupboards with food in them-" Her hand indicated accordingly- "And this is the refrigerator here, with the freezer up top and the simply cold things in the big space below-" Oh, this kitchen must be full of all sorts of strange things he'd never seen before. Selena braced herself to explain the mechanics of the modern stove, the toaster oven, the blender.... Not to mention refrigerators. Or light switches, even....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher examined the light switch as he passed then looked around the kitchen. None of this stuff looked even familiar to the things back home. He didn't have the luxury of freezing food or cooking it on gas ovens. He looked around at everything with curious eyes. "Ummm, you mentioned rice and meat correct,"he asked, looking over at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

He was slowly, carefully studying everything. No broad shocked reactions or anything like that.... That was more what Selena would have expected. Well, everyone was different, she supposed. "Yes, I did. Would you like that? I can whip up a stir fry quickly.... Do you like chicken or pork better?" She had some onions... mushrooms... sauce.... Yes, this was a quickly prepared meal, at least.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I prefer chicken please,"Christopher replied, sitting down in a chair at the table. He looked over at the sink, not really understanding what it was or how it worked. His mind kept wondering back, however, to the light switch.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I'm looking forward to when he discovers electricity.... Culture shock is going to be fun!)

"All right, then, chicken it is." Selena pulled some out of her freezer, popping it in the microwave to defrost. "It hopefully won't take too long to cook. You don't mind waiting? I can give you a snack if you're really hungry...." Some bread, maybe. At least that wouldn't be utterly foreign, to him.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"No, I can wait. I forgot to ask earlier, but what's your name,"Christopher asked smiling apologetically.

((That will be quite the shocker.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

Oh, right! Selena had never even thought that he wouldn't know her, because she already knew him. "Oh, so sorry, I totally had the advantage and forgot to introduce myself- I'm Selena Channary." She fidgeted a bit- should she offer to shake hands, or do a bow like people did in the novel? She ended up compromising with a half-bow, hand half-extended shyly.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher laughed quietly and stood up to bow and shake her hand. "Very nice to meet you. And you already know my name,"he said smiling.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Ah, that solved the problem. Granted, Selena felt a touch awkward when she blushed a bit, at the hand contact.... "Yes, that I do. I-" At that point, the microwaved beeped, loud and insistent. "Oh! It's done defrosting!" She released his hand and scrambled over to the microwave to get out the chicken. "Oh, good, it's all thawed...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"What did you call that device,"Christopher asked, looking at the microwave in amazement. It usually took him a while to even get the chicken ready to cook and she had done it in mere minutes!

[Guendolen_Sama]

"It's a microwave. It- well- to make it simple, it can make things really hot really fast. So this was frozen before. You hit this button here, and it can heat it so it unfreezes. Otherwise it'd have to sit out overnight or longer to thaw out slowly. It's one of the many things we have in our world...." It was a simplistic explanation, but Selena didn't know much about the scientific mechanics, herself.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Very convenient. How is it powered exactly,"Christopher asked, walking over to examine this so called "microwave".

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Um. Well." This was more complicated. Best try to keep it simple.... "You see this?" She pointed to the cord behind it. "That leads to the plug. See?" Selena pulled it out of the wall, to hold it up and show him. "It goes into this thing in the wall, called a socket. The socket has wires behind it that help make what's called electricity. It's a power source. The microwave, when plugged into the socket, gets energy from the electricity to make it run. There are things inside it that make it special and everything, a certain way it runs, but I don't understand how it works myself. Most people don't, unless they're into science or electronics."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher listened intenly to everything she said, none of it making the least amount of sense. "I don't really understand but I didn't really expect to,"he said, smiling sheepishly at Selena.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((I'm not going to be on this weekend, starting tomorrow, because I'm helping my sister move into her dorm. I should be back Sunday though.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

(Don't worry about it! I understand. I'll be gone a lot of Saturday in any case, to test for advancement in Tae Kwon Do. And tomorrow night too, for my friend's birthday.)

Selena looked sheepish. "Er... yeah. Sorry about that. I'll try to sort it out better for you later...." If there was a later. Who knew how long he would be here? He might get sucked back into the book as easily as he'd been ripped out of it. If only I knew how that had happened at all.... It was still a concept her mind was having trouble dealing with.
But then she realized she was standing there holding a piece of thawed, raw chicken. "But oh, yes, your food! Let me get the rice going, then I can cut this up and cook it, it won't take too long I promise...." Selena set the piece on a cutting board, then hastened to measure out water and set it on to boil, put a pat of butter in it. The rice stood by, pre-measured, to be put in once it boiled.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Take your time,"Christopher said smiling and sitting back down. He watched her work, his eyes always curious. Even though he didn't understand much of what was around him, he felt relatively calm.

((Cool mayun.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

"All right, then." This still felt odd, in her head. But by the same token, she was adjusting rapidly.... It felt less bizarre than one would think, at least, to have a previously fictional man sitting in her kitchen, waiting for dinner. "Do you want anything in the meantime? Bread and butter, or... oh, I don't know...." Oh, the water was boiling! Selena dumped the rice in it, stirring it to distribute it in the pot before putting a lid over it to speed up cooking time. "Now just let me start cutting this up...." Oh yes, and she needed the sauce, the veggies, a bit of garlic....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I'm fine. So... what land are we in exactly,"Christopher asked, watching her work.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Land?... Oh, yes, different turns of phrase and all that. "You're in a country called the United States of America," she told him. "Specifically, you're in the northeastern part of that country. The region is known as New York. Even more specifically, you're in New York City."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher thought for a moment, never hearing of any of the names she listed. He wasn't really suprised by that since most of the things she'd told him didn't make sense. "Sounds... very far from my normal home,"he commented.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena nodded, a small movement, as she chopped the chicken into smallish cubes. "Yes, it is," she said softly. She'd picked fanciful, otherworldly names, for the cities and nations in the world be occupied. As different as those in her own world as she could think of or find. "Again, I'm sorry you got dragged so far away...." She still felt that, on some level, this was all her fault.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Don't be. It's not your fault... at least I don't think it is,"Christopher said, laughing quietly. He honestly didn't know who or what had brought him here but he didn't think it was her since she was just as confused as he is.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"I don't know who else's it would be, though," Selena replied, still in that soft voice. "I mean, I was writing, and a storm hit. The lights went out, and... then you were there." Perhaps the storm had been the catalyst. But how? There had to be a connection somewhere....
She rinsed her hands off, done cutting the chicken. Selena got out a large skillet, setting it on the stove and turning on the burner beneath it, so it could heat. As it did so, she got out her stir-fry oil, sauce, and seasonings.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Even if you did, I bet you didn't do it on purpose. You seem just as confused as I do about all of this so I'm thinking that this wasn't your doing,"Christopher said as he looked around the kitchen at everything that was there.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Well, I wasn't trying to summon you here, if that's what you meant," Selena replied with a soft, wry laugh. She was dicing up a bit of onion, while also keeping half an eye on what he was doing. The exploring was to be expected; but still, she needed to be on hand in case he tried to poke something that it might not be healthy to prod, or whatever. But it looked like the skillet was heated; she tipped in some oil, tipping the pan to coat it before adding the onions and garlic, stirring them about to get them started heating.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"What are you cooking on right now,"Christopher asked, stepping up beside her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena jumped just a tiny bit when he suddenly appeared alongside; she'd written that he was fast and silent, but it was quite different experiencing it for real! Taking a deep breath to calm her briefly skittering pulse, she said, "Oh, this- this is a stove. You see these things on top? They're called burners. There's a bit of gas inside it, so when you turn the knobs on the front, the gas comes on. See?" She moved the pan aside, to show him the flame, twiddling the knob to make the level go up and down. "There's a knob for each burner, and you can make it as high or low as you want. For what I'm making now, you want it high." She turned it back up and restored the pan, tipping the chicken into it and pouring teriyaki sauce over it as it sizzled, stirring it around with a spatula to get it coated and moving about in the pan. The mushrooms would go in a couple minutes later.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Does it take long to cook things on it,"Christopher asked, looking at the stove before turning his gaze to her face.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena looked up at him. A tiny hint of pink touched her cheeks, to see him studying her so carefully, and she looked back to the pan as she stirred. "It depends, really, on what you're making and how high the heat is. This is high, and the pieces are small, so it takes less time. It's called stir-frying, because you have to keep the bits moving. But something bigger, in a deep pot or whatever, takes longer. Like the rice." She lifted the lid on the pot, to show him the grains simmering nicely. "That'll be done soon, too, but since it's more liquid and on a lower heat, it takes longer."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Interesting. And this stove, can it cook anything you want it to,"Christopher asked, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

[Guendolen_Sama]

It was strange, to see that contemplative look she had written about being enacted for real.... Selena hastily tipped the mushrooms into the pan, adding more sauce and stirring it through as she did so, to distract herself. "Within reason," she said. "You'd be hard-pressed to cook an entire chicken, say, or something like that. For meat, it's best to keep the pieces small and evenly shaped, so they can cook through easily and properly. And of course it can't bake bread or things like that. But you can do a lot on a stove top, in a pinch."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I see. And what about this device that you were using earlier,"Christopher asked, walking over to the microwave.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"The microwave works well for quick heating," Selena explained. "It generates a lot of heat, so you make things fast in there. Say, you want a cup of tea. You can heat the water for it in there in two minutes, instead of letting it steep for a long time in a kettle. And you can use it to thaw out frozen foods. Basically, that's for when you want to cook something in a hurry, like heat up leftovers or whatever."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"With all the unique things you have here, I don't know if I want to go back to my home,"Christopher said, smiling at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

At those words, Selena almost dropped her spatula. Scrambling with the handle, all she could do was look at him with wide eyes. "Not- go home? Truly? I mean, don't you have-" He had things he needed to do. She'd given him a quest. Even a lady who she had expected him to fall deeply in love with.... To hear the assertion that he wanted to stay in her world?
How, though? No birth certificate, no social security number, nothing. How would he survive? A treacherous little voice in her head whispered, He could stay here with you....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I don't know. This place is much more interesting and seemingly safer than my old home. And since I was just a book character, it wouldn't really affect those I left negatively,"Christopher replied shrugging.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Safer? Well, he didn't know the half of it, yet.... But it still surprised her. She hadn't expected him to give up on his quest so easily. In the story, he had been filled with the drive to succeed at all costs.... But then again, she'd never considered how he would take getting yanked out of his own world and plopped into a completely foreign one. Maybe, in contrast to what he'd been experiencing, this really did seem preferable to going back.
"You don't need to decide just yet," Selena replied, in her soft gentle voice. "If you could be pulled free, perhaps others have a sense of presence too- a sense that might miss you." Especially Luna.... "Besides, you may not be quite so enamored of this world once you've seen more of it. We have our dangers. Besides, life is in any ways more complex...." There were people you could talk to to buy the socials of people who had died and so forth, right? Selena fervently hoped that that wouldn't be expensive, because if he did linger for good, then she would have to be taking care of that.... Just the thought of him staying with her made her pulse quicken.
Remember, girl- just because he likes it here doesn't mean he likes it with you. A cold reality, but a very real possibility. Selena cleared her throat, trying to mentally restrain her rising blush. Maybe it would pass for a flush from the heat of the stove.... "But- um- for now, dinner's ready. Why don't you, you know, eat?" She hastily tipped the cooked rice onto a plate, then spooned the stir-fried mixture overtop it. "Here you go- anything else? Oh, yes, you need a fork-" She delved into the dish drainer, pulling one out and offering it.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you so much. This looks very good,"Christopher said, sitting back down at the table.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"You're welcome. And thank you," Selena replied, all but kicking herself, mentally, for the slight breathlessness in her voice. She sounded like a silly schoolgirl with a crush! Get a hold of yourself! This was no way for an adult woman to behave.... No matter the circumstances.
Her fingers twisted about themselves for a moment. "It's very simple, really," she said, the urge to babble starting to rise up again. She tamped it down irritably. "No trouble at all, it doesn't take that long.... But do you want anything else to drink? More water? Or something else, like milk, coffee, tea?..." Now her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her sweater.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Relax Selena. I'm fine and I have everything I need right now,"Christopher said, laughing quietly. He got a forkful of the food and placed it in his mouth after blowing on it. "This is very delicious,"he said after chewing and swallowing.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Relax? Oh. Uh. Right. Selena fidgeted a moment longer, then quickly sat down in the other kitchen chair. Her hands clenched tightly in front of her, in an effort to keep from fiddling with whatever so happened to be at hand.
She blushed a bit when he complimented the meal. "I'm glad you like it," she murmured. "It's one of my favorites...." Something she could make for one person with relative ease, even after a long day at work.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You'll have to teach me some time,"Christopher said, half of his plate already cleaned of food.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Wow. That was impressive.... When Selena had created Christopher, she hadn't imagined him putting it away so fast! Or having quite such a prodigious appetite, for that matter. This was... strange, seeing sides to him she was unaware of. But then again, he was a real person now....
Her fingers tightened around themselves to keep from fidgeting more. "Any time you like," she said, still softly. "It would be my pleasure."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher smiled before taking the last bite of the stir-fry. He sighed happily and leaned back in his chair, watching Selena. "That's a very pretty necklace,"he said, noticing it for the first time.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh!" Selena jumped, hand going up to her pendant. She'd been lost in thought, and him speaking again startled her. "Oh, thank you." Stop sounding like a breathless debutante! "I got it from my mother. It's been in her family years, you see. She gave it to me when I turned eighteen. That's the tradition, you see."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That's nice. I don't really own any interesting heirlooms but I'm sure you already knew that,"Christopher said grinning.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena nodded, a small movement. "Yes, that I do know," she replied. At least he didn't seem bothered by that.... "You're taking this very well," she commented as she rose to do the dishes. "I would feel very strange, being in the company of someone who knew everything I knew about my life, even though we had only just met."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I'm kind of suprised at that as well but oddly enough, it feels normal,"Christopher said, thinking about all of this again.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Strange." Or perhaps not so strange, really. After all, he had been inside her head for all this time. Maybe some portion of him felt a subconscious resonance. An echo of her consciousness, maybe. "Maybe you're just a quick adapter...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That could be it, but I don't recall ever have being a quick adapter before,"Christopher said, tapping his fingers on the table as he thought.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Seeing he was done eating, Selena took the plate and fork. "Beg pardon," she said as she leaned slightly in front of him to take the dishes. Another slight blush cropped up. Oh, stop it! She hurried over to the sink to continue her washing up. "Well... maybe it's because, well, in a sense... you were born here. Even if only in my mind," she said quietly. "Maybe there's some sort of... odd lingering resonance, or some such thing. A sense of connection, due to the, you know, source...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That would make sense. The connection between you and me could be the reason for my calmness,"Christopher said nodding.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Connection between you and me.... Selena felt her face grow warmer, at those words. Usually a turn of phrase like that implied.... Even if she knew it was more matter-of-fact, more direct and literal, her senses reacted all the same. I have to stop being so stupid about this. It was a very literal link, after all! "Yes, that... that could very well be it," she managed to say, making a concerted effort to keep her voice even as she scrubbed out the big metal wok, trying to do so without getting water all down the front of her sweater. That thing was so big, splashing tended to happen.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Anyways. Tell me about yourself since you already know me and I don't really know you,"Christopher suggested as he got up and leaned on the counter next to her, his eyes transfixed on the water faucet.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I'm waiting for him to start fiddling with things.... That's going to be amusing. ;))

Selena felt an increased jolt of self-consciousness when he appeared so close alongside her. Even if it was the sink that seemed to transfix him. She twiddled the knobs to make the water increase and decrease, just as a sort of silent demonstration of how it worked. "Well," she said, scrubbing the spatula now, "there's really not much to tell. I grew up in a small town across this particular state. It was a nice town, but... I wanted something bigger. So when I got old enough, I came here, to the biggest city in this whole country, to go to college. I just sort of stuck around after that.
"As you no doubt guessed, I want to be an author. A writer of books. Always have, always will. I was very fanciful, as a little girl.... I guess it never left me." She rinsed off the last of the utensils, shutting the water off now. Her eyes watched the last of it disappear down the drain as she continued to speak. "I work in a book store right now to pay the bills, as writing your first novel isn't particularly lucrative. But someday, I hope to make it big. Someday...." A tiny sigh escaped.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Interesting,"Christopher said, reaching to the sink and turning one of the knobs, sending water cascading into the sink. He turned it again and the water stopped. He peeked into the drain, trying to see where the water was going before turning it on again and once again off.

[Guendolen_Sama]

A laugh escaped- well, more like a giggle, if you wanted to be technical about it. The fascination was starting.... He looked so much more innocent, so openly curious about the way the sink worked. "The drain there goes into a pipe," she explained. "It carries the water out, into a kind of main source." After that her knowledge got fuzzy.... Selena had a feeling she would have to start doing some serious research, so as to keep up with Christopher's inquisitiveness about this world. "Other pipes lead into the faucet here, and when you turn the knobs it makes it come out. The knob with the red dot lets out hot water, and the knob with the blue dot lets out cold. You can use them at different strengths to mix them and make the water temperature different."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You mean you don't have to heat water in a pot over a fire for baths here,"Christopher asked, looking at her with curious, wide eyes.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena wished she had a camera at this exact moment. His expression of wide-eyed wonderment was priceless, pure and simple. Another giggle slipped out. "That's right. We have what's known as water heaters. It's just what it sounds like. A great big tank that water stores in, and through that it can be heated. So nope, we don't have to heat water on the stove. As for bathing...." This sounded like as good a time as any to explain the bathroom. "Follow me." The space was pocket-sized, and would hardly fit the two of them, but it was only to explain the mechanics of it.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher followed her, eager for more suprises from this strange world.

[Guendolen_Sama]

His expression reminded Selena of nothing so much as an eager puppy. Wide-eyed and wondering.... She kept wanting to giggle more as she watched. This was a side of him that had never emerged in the book, that was for sure....
But in a moment, they were across the apartment and through the door. "All right," she said, "this is what we call the bathroom. Room for bathing, as you can do doubt guess. The sink is like in the kitchen, as you can see- same principle- for washing hands, brushing teeth, etc. And here, we have what's known as a shower." Selena swept aside the curtain, which was plastic and printed with stars, crescent moons, and suns on a deep blue background, to show the interior. "This part here is the bathtub. You can just fill it up with water and wash, as you would be used to. Again, the faucet is like the others." She twiddled the knobs, demonstrating.
"But if you want to be quick, you can have a shower. See this little button thing on top of the faucet? What you do is you turn on the water and get the temperature you want it, make sure the drain is open- that's that little lever right here, below the faucet; if it's down, it means the drain is open- then pull up the little button, and water comes out of that nozzle you see on the wall over our heads. Like so." Selena turned on the water, then pulled the button to release a soft spray.
"See? It's like a rain shower- hence the name, a shower. This curtain is here to keep water from getting everywhere while you're in there. You just slide it shut when you start the water. Showers are faster and more water-efficient than baths." Selena pushed the button back down and shut off the water. "That wasn't too much at once, was it?" And she hadn't even explained how a toilet worked, yet.... She wondered how he would react to the flush mechanism.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher absorbed everything she said like a sponge. "No I got it all down,"he said, looking at everything around him. The mirror was the only thing that looked familiar to him.

[Guendolen_Sama]

He was really drinking it all in. Selena wished she could be half so absorbent, if their positions were reversed. "All right, then. One more thing. This is a toilet." Her hand indicated the white porcelain bowl. "Also known as a commode. This is what we use, instead of outhouses or privies." She felt her face getting warm; there was simply no polite way to talk about such a thing. But it was something he had to know. "After you're- erm- done, you push down on this little lever, here, and it all- um- goes away.... It's referred to as flushing it...." Selena pushed the level, demonstrating a flush. She wondered if this felt half as awkward to him as it did to her. And oh Lord, how on earth was she going to explain about toilet paper?! The innocuous white roll hanging on the wall alongside had never looked so intimidating.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Very convenient. No you don't have to go outside to take care of business. And what is this,"Christopher asked, poking the toilet paper timidly.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Convenient? Yes, yes it is...." This was probably a luxury, to him. They didn't have plumbing in his world, after all. Selena had made it more medieval than that. "And that's toilet paper. You use it to- um- well-" Her face was getting hot again. "Clean yourself up after... well, you know. It gets flushed too...." Her hands were twisting the inside of her sweater, and her eyes were firmly fastened on the little paper roll. "Just- you don't need to use a whole bunch, if you do it might clog up the pipes when you flush, and- that'd be messy...." Probably best to explain the plunger, too, sometime soon.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Looks like I don't have to use leaves anymore,"Christopher said, smiling brightly at her before turning his attention to the sink.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena's eyes got big for a minute. She'd actually forgotten about that scene.... Now she flushed hotly red. God, he must hate her for that one! The poison oak.... Oh dear- She gulped, a tiny sound.
But he seemed to be enjoying himself, especially with the sink. "I'll just- leave you to your explorations, then, if you want-" But maybe she should stand by in case he encountered a problem or a curiosity. After all, he'd certainly never seen mouthwash, or floss, or toothpaste in a tube.... Not even a bottle of simple shampoo. Besides, in these close quarters, she'd have to really squeeze past him to get through the door. A thought which made her blush even harder.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh, I'm done looking in here. I'm actually rather tired,"Christopher said as he yawned widely.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh, yes, of course, you have had a, you know, eventful evening...." Selena indicated for him to precede her out the door, given that he was closer to it than she was. "Why don't you turn in for the night? Unless there's anything else you want to see first." She had to admit she was curious about what he would think when he tried some of these things. Even with the quick adaptation.... Well, if the reaction to sinks was any sign, it was going to be like a kid with a new toy. "I'm sorry I don't have any pajamas or anything like that to give you." If he was going to be stuck here, she was going to have to get him some clothes. He couldn't sit around in that outfit all the time. Partly for comfort, partly because it screamed Ren Faire. Not the vibe desired, in this modern world.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Not a problem. I've slept in this before remember,"Chris said, walking out of the bathroom after glancing once more at the toilet.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Yes, of course." Which is why she thought he might want to change- it was no doubt worn from travel and battle, after all. But well, she'd never covered what he wore to bed when in respite. Probably because it had never seemed important. They would have to sort that out later, though.
For now, to sleep. Selena led him back to his impromptu bed on the couch. "Whenever you're ready to go to sleep, you can turn off the lamp. You see this little thing here?" She pointed to the little round switch under the shade, at the base of the bulb. "You just turn that two times to the right, and the light will go off." She clicked it, to demonstrate, then turned it back on. "You click it twice again in the same direction to make it go on again, if you need a light. Don't touch the bulb, though- that's what the light comes out of. It gets very hot, and you could get burned." Even with those hands callused from years of swordplay.... The warning was still needed.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Two to the right to turn it off and on and don't touch the... bulb,"Christopher repeated to help remember. He sat down on his makeshift bed, pulling his boots of and setting them down beside him.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena nodded. "Yes, that's right. Its full name is a light bulb, but we mostly just call it the bulb for short. Two turns to the right to turn it off and on, and be careful not to get burned." She paused for a moment. "But... good night. I work tomorrow morning, but I'll be as quiet as I can to try not to wake you up...." She felt like she ought to make some sort of gesture before repairing to her own room. But what? Finally she settled on offering a hand to shake. That was friendly but not too so, right? Just enough for someone you had just met.... Well, for real, anyway.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Goodnight Selena,"Christopher said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh." No one had ever kissed Selena's hand before. A shiver coursed all through her; her fingers trembled, just a bit, in his. How could such a simple salute make her feel warm all over? Warm and aware of every tingling nerve ending.... It took a moment to find her voice again, and when she found it, it was soft and light. "You're welcome.... If... if you need anything, you know, in the night, just... come get me, I... I won't mind...." She knew she ought to pull her hand away. So why hadn't she done so, yet?...

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Will do and thanks again for all of this,"Christopher said, squeezing her hand once before letting it go.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selene felt another little tingle at the hand squeeze; when he let go, she slowly, deliberately pulled it down by her side. "Again, you're welcome. If you're cold and need another blanket, the linen closet its right by the bathroom door...." She swallowed. "But... good night. I'll leave you to your rest now." Her feet lingered a moment longer before she could bring them to take her into her own room. She glanced back one more time, just as though making sure he was still there, before going inside.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher smiled to himself as he watched her go. He lay down, stretching his legs out on the couch, his feet dangling off the edge. He pulled the blankets around him as he settled his head on the pillow. He quickly reached up and turned the lamp off, satisfied that he had done it right, before quickly falling asleep.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena wandered about her room for a moment, almost aimlessly; picking things up, putting them down again.... She tried not to think about the origins of her distraction. Seeing as he was going to bed on her couch....
Stop it. Just stop it. She knew there was a very real possibility he wouldn't be there when she woke up in the morning. And somehow, that was sad. Even if it meant he would be back in his home world.
There was no sense in over-thinking this. She still had a life to live, and that meant getting some sleep. She changed into her nightgown, a sensible affair in light blue flannel- after all, it was a cold winter night. Then she slipped under the covers, switching off her own lamp before settling down to seek sleep. Wondering, all the while, what would happen on the morrow.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Time skip to morning.))

Christopher woke up in the early hours of the morning. He sat up and stretched before looking around the apartment. Selena didn't seem to be awake yet so he laid back down and wound up falling back to sleep.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I figured that would be the case, yes! :))

Selena's alarm clock went off. She turned over, fumbling for it for a moment in her drowsiness before she successfully shut it off. It took a minute for her to feel conscious enough to roll out of bed. A shower, yes, she needed one of those. That always woke her up....
Selena tumbled out from under the covers, padding across the room to where she had set out her work clothes for the day that night. This wasn't one of those stores that required a uniform. Instead, she had a pair of nice khaki slacks and a soft chenille pullover, a light blue in color. Her mother had given it to her, saying it matched her eyes.
Clothes under her arm, Selena slipped out into the main apartment. The light was dim, as the sun was only just coming up. But she could make out a shape on the couch.... He's still here. She tried not to think about the accompanying sense of... relief? Even though she knew life was going to be getting much more complicated very soon.
She crept over to the bathroom door, shutting it behind her as quietly as possible. Hopefully the sound of the water running wouldn't awaken him. And looked like drying her hair was right out.... The dryer was far too noisy. She'd just have to wrap it in a towel and hope for the best.
Grabbing her towel and wash cloth off the rack hanging on the door, Selena pulled off her nightgown and stepped into the shower. Best make this quick. The less noise, the better. A guest was a guest, and one didn't awaken them without need.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher woke up slightly, hearing the water running in the shower. He opened his eyes but soon closed them again realizing how tired he was and fell back to sleep almost instantly.

[Guendolen_Sama]

A little while later, Selena finished her shower. Clean and dressed, with her hair wrapped up in a towel to soak up the worst of the water, she tip-toed towards the kitchen.
He was still asleep. Good.... Selena found herself pausing to study him. The relaxed repose of the features, the artless way his hair tumbled across his forehead.... He looked young, almost boyish, like this. A small, indulgent smile crossed her face.
And you're being a twitterpate! Honestly, acting like a schoolgirl with her first crush.... Selena gave herself a mental slap. She must still be half-asleep, to be gawking like a mooncalf in such a way? She made herself turn and go towards the kitchen. A bagel would be a good breakfast. She popped it in the toaster oven, pulling an apple out of the fridge to munch on while she waited for it to toast. She idly hoped the ding of the timer ending wouldn't wake him up....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher yawned, waking up and staying awake this time. He stretched before standing up and heading into the kitchen. "Good morning,"he said quietly, smiling at Selena, his hair dishevled and pointing in different directions.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh!" Selena jumped, almost choking on her apple. She spun around, spots of color appearing high on her cheeks. She moved so fast the towel turban around her head almost slipped off. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, please forgive me-" He didn't know she'd been watching him, did he? Good God, she hoped not! Though it didn't help, how endearingly disheveled he looked upon having just awakened....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"It was time for me to get up anyways. Did you sleep well,"Christopher asked, leaning against the wall.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh- well- so long as I didn't disturb you-" Yes, he had always been an early riser, hadn't he. "And yes, I did sleep well." Better than Selena had expected, under the circumstances. "Did you?" He was tall; she hoped the couch hadn't been too uncomfortable. An air bed might have to be acquired on the way home today.... "Do you want breakfast? I don't have much, but bagels, and bread you could make toast, and fruit, and there's some eggs in the fridge-" She didn't have much time to cook, but this was a guest. An exception could be made. The timer went off on the toaster oven, signaling her bagel was done.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"No, I'm fine right now. Not yet hungry. And I slept very nicely,"Christopher replied, watching her.

((I'm sleepy. Nighty night.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

"That's good, I'm glad. But when you're hungry, there's plenty of food, just help yourself-" Selena buttered her bagel, taking a bite. As she did so, she wondered if she ought to take the day off work. After all, he was plopped in a foreign world, didn't know very much about how it worked, yet.... Was it really fair of her to leave him alone for the day?
But the thing is, if she called off... who knew how they'd take it? Short-notice call-offs were never good. And well, she would be supporting two, now, for an unknown time. She needed the income, when you came right down to it. He's strong and sure. She ought to know- she made him that way. He'll be all right. At least, she hoped so.

(I was just thinking I need to go to bed, actually. Good night to you, too!)

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you. What are you going to be doing today,"Christopher asked, noticing that she was dressed to go somewhere.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena hurriedly swallowed the bite of bagel she'd been chewing, washing it down with a swig of orange juice. "Oh, I was going to work. I work in a book store." She'd told him last night, but he'd had so much to take in, he likely didn't remember. "I'm very sorry to disappear like this, but it's too short notice to call off.... I'll see if I can get off a bit early, though,sometimes they'll let us do that if it's slow...." No idea whether it would be or not. But she couldn't tell him that she couldn't risk losing her job, so as to be able to pay for both their upkeep.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You did tell me didn't you? Quick question what does this do,"Christopher asked, walking to the living room and pointing to the T.V. "Is it some sort of mirror,"he asked, looking at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena followed him into the small living room, still chewing on her bagel. "That's what's known as a television set," she said. "Or TV, for short. "It's not a mirror. You can turn it on, see, with this thing here- it's called a remote control. You can watch things on it. Let me show you." She turned it to on; it was currently set on a news station. "See, we have things called video cameras- I'll explain more when I get home- that let you take moving pictures of people doing things. You can use this television set to watch those pictures. Some of them are things like this, that tell you what's happening in the world. Some are serial stories- a long tale told in segments. Some are longer, one-time stories- that's a movie. You can get different things on different channels. Each channel has a number for it, and you tap the buttons to make that number to change it. See?" Selena changed the channel, showing him. And waited to see what his reaction would be, to such a no-doubt miraculous device....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That is brilliant. And you can see what is going on anywhere with this,"Christopher asked, his eyes wide and glimmering in excitement.

[Guendolen_Sama]

He looked so bright-eyed and boyish. An open, shining eagerness Selena had never seen in him. Granted, she might not have told any story that really communicated it.... So strange, to see someone she had in essence created exhibiting behavioral traits she hadn't anticipated. "Basically, yes. Not necessarily everything, everywhere. It's a huge world. But you can find out what's big and important. And also just be entertained...." She at a little more of her bagel. It would be time to leave for work soon. The more Selena thought on it, the more she wondered if she should just take the day off. Maybe she could call in sick....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Very interesting,"Christopher said. He knelt down in front of the T.V., pushing the buttons on there to change the channels. He stared at the bright screen but soon had to back up because it was hurting his eyes.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Well, at least he wasn't trying to "get the little people out," or some such thing.... Selena had read more than one novel where such a thing had occurred, with reverse time travel. Instead, he was more like a child with a new toy. At least she knew what would keep him busy all day, though.... And she felt a bit better about leaving him by himself for a few hours.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go in a few minutes," Selena told him, voice apologetic. "I wish I didn't have to... but it's Friday, which means I'll have two days off over the weekend." So she could see to acclimating him more then... and figuring out what to do next. "Do you need anything before I go? I'm so sorry to leave you like this, I feel awful about it, but... I have to go, it's an obligation...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh no. I'll be fine here. I have this uhhh... T.V. to keep me busy and I remembered you said you had food here. I'll be fine you just go do your job and I'll see you when you're done,"Christopher said, standing up and quickly hugging her goodbye.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena actually squeaked, when he hugged her. She felt a warm flush rise up her face, tinting it rosy, and her pulse getting quicker.... Stop it, you ninny! But it had been so long since any male not a relative had been that affectionate, with her. And it felt good. Really, really good.
But stop being stupid! He could poof away any time.... Selena cleared her throat, hand dancing lightly about the base of it. "Yes, that's right, but if you try to cook be careful not to burn yourself, and I have books too-" Could he read English? Looked like they'd find out soon enough. "And I promise I'll make you something nice for dinner when I get home, and- and have a nice day!" She squeezed his hands, feeling too shy to hug in return.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You too and I'll see you when you get back,"Christopher said, smiling warmly at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Thank you- and I will-" Selena jittered a bit on her feet, at the warm smile. Her own response expression was a bit more shy in nature. "But- but goodbye- I'll see you soon-" Selena then ducked out the door, glancing back and waving one last time before going on her way.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher waved back, smiling happily before turning to the T.V.. He grabbed the remote and began changing the channels until stopping on some cartoons that caught his attention.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(Hee hee, I can just picture his reaction to cartoon shows....)

Selena hurried out the door, just barely making her bus on time. She hoped it wasn't a sign of the day to follow.... Luckily it wasn't slow, or late or whatever. The owner of the shop wasn't a termagant or anything, but she still expected her employees to be punctual.
Ah, there it was. Pages Of Time. Selena breathed in the scent of paper and other materials as she entered, the bell jingling. It was time for her work day to begin.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Hehehehe. I plan on having him watch cartoons all day.))

Christopher quickly ran into the kitchen and grabbed some fruit, cheese, a few slices of bread, a knife, and a plate before running back into the living room. He was currently absorbed in an episode of Spongebob. While he watched he cut the bread and cheese, stacking them on top of each other then moved on to the fruit. He ate his meal while he intently focused on the screen.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(Ha ha! I'm picturing that, and it amuses. But I'm going to kind of blip past most of the day, if you don't mind.)

Lunchtime. Not too much happening thus far. They'd had a handful of customers, but not too many. Just enough to barely keep busy, and even then there was down time. She and the other ladies who worked there- all of them older than her- occupied hours by fixing displays and checking stock and other things. Selena, as the youngest, tended to be the one climbing ladders and lifting bigger boxes and the like.
She sat in a little cafe down the street, eating lunch. As she did, she wondered what Christopher was up to. Was he all right? He wasn't bored, was he? Or getting into something new and different? What if he had a mishap with the stove? Or tried to use the shower and somehow got it stuck? Or...
The litany continued. She'd call to check on him... if she'd taught him how phones worked. Besides, her only phone was her cell, which she kept with her all the time. So at least that wouldn't scare him.... Still, she might have to explain a lot of things he saw on that TV when she got home, she suspected.
Which might be sooner than planned. If business stayed slow, someone would be sent home. And that would likely be Selena, as she was the last hired, thus being the most junior in the rankings. Part of that worried her, for salary cut. But well, if it did happen, it would get her home to her unexpected guest that much sooner. Which might well be for the best.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher lay on the floor, pillow under his chin and a blanket spread over him. He watched the bright images on the screen, ocassionally laughing at something said or done by the characters.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Mid-afternoon. Selena was adjusting a window display for the third time that day. Her boss came to find her.... Informed her that since things were so slow, she could just take the rest of the day off.
"Are you sure, ma'am?" Selena asked her. "I mean, you might get busy later on-" Her feelings were torn. On the one hand- leaving work early. On the other hand, getting home to her new and unexpected roommate....
"I know you're dedicated to your work, love, and I appreciate it. But it's fine. We'll see you on Monday, all right? Bright and early as usual?"
"Of course, ma'am...." Selena still felt a twinge of sadness, though, on an instinctive level. She rounded up her coat, marked her time off, said goodbye to her co-workers and headed out....
Oh, but she should make a stop or two on the way home. Get an air mattress, so Christopher could sleep on a real bed. She ought to have one anyway, for company in general.... Then pick up at least one change of clothes for him. He probably wanted to get out of the gear he was in now, after all. Then, once she knew for sure what fit him, she could pick up a few more sets. And some pajamas.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher made a quick trip to the pantry finding something called Goldfish in there. He tried one, finding it tasted nothing like fish but more cheese. He shrugged enjoying the taste and headed back to his pillow and blanket in the living room.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(I don't know why I find his little discoveries so amusing, but I do....)

The clothes were easy enough, actually. There was a little thrift shop not far from her book shop. A more bohemian district and all that, after all.... And as long as the clothes were in good repair, the fact that they were second- hand didn't make much difference. And seeing as she had made Christopher, she had a good idea of size.... At least height, anyway. She really hoped the waist wasn't too tight. All she'd chosen was a basic pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, a dust blue in color. She couldn't help but think how good he would look in that....
Selena shook herself as she went to the bus stop. She'd have to make another stop on the way to get the air bed. Lucky for a bus pass, not having to pay the extra fare.... It felt like every movement took too long, though. At least to her.
Seeing as it was winter, it was already getting dim in the sky when she finally got to her apartment. Her eyes went to her watch. It was a little after five. So she was still home earlier than planned. Rustling out her key, Selena let herself into the building and upstairs to her apartment, bag with the inflatable bed banging against her leg as she moved. As she opened the door, she wondered what Christopher was doing. He was all right, she hoped. And not bored. She promised herself she'd make him a nice dinner, to make up for it.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Selena! You're back! Have you seen this show? It's about this yellow, um, sponge that lives in a pineapple,"Christopher asked, hopping off the floor and pulling her into the living room.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena made a small, surprised sound as he dragged her into the apartment with such eagerness. The bags she was carrying hit the floor, the one with the air mattress making a thud dulled only by the carpet. She didn't even have time to shut the door behind her!
But he was so excited over his new discovery, so boyishly eager. It felt good, to see the excitement.... "Wait, wait, what? You've been watching.... Spongebob?" Selena peered at the TV. It was on Cartoon Network, from the look of things. "Have you been in front of that thing all day?" she asked, amazed.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Yes Spongebob. That's his name. And I have. Oh and these gold fishes don't taste like fish at all but rather cheese,"Christopher said, picking up the bags he made her drop after shutting the door.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh, thank you, you didn't have to do that-" Selena went to take the bags from him. "I'm glad you like what you've found thus far," she said, a bit shyly. And, more shyly too, "I stopped on the way home and got a portable bed for you, so you don't need to sleep on the couch. And... and a change of clothes, for, you know, just in case...." He wouldn't be offended by that, would he?

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you for that. These clothes don't smell as nice as they used to,"Christopher said, handing her the lightest bag before heading into the kitchen and setting them down on the table.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh, you're welcome." Good, he wasn't offended. "I hope they fit. If not, just say so and I'll get you something that does...." Should she take him out in the city tomorrow? That might be too much, yet.... Or, since he had been watching TV all day, apparently, maybe not? "I'll blow up your bed later, so you can sleep on it tonight, and for now I'll get dinner started.... Did you see anything in the cupboard you'd like to try?" Given that he had obviously been exploring. "Are you hungry?" Oh yeah, that was best settled first. She was feeling all scatter-brained again....

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I did see something that looked interesting today. Ah, here it is. Could we possibly have this,"Christopher asked, holding up a box of macarroni and cheese.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Out of all the choices in her cupboard, and he wanted macaroni and cheese? Well, she had given him the choice.... "Of course," Selena replied, taking the box with an indulgent smile. Dinner would likely be easy tonight, from the look of things.... "I usually have this as a side dish with a cheeseburger- that's a patty of beef eaten on a bun, with cheese on it, and other things too if you want, like lettuce and tomato and so forth, and a tomato-based sauce called ketchup. Would you like to try it? If not, we can just have the macaroni."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Just the macaroni please. I found myself unable to stop eating those gold fishes,"Christopher said, smiling sheepishly at Selena.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena glanced at the little paper bag on the table. Yes, it was definitely much lighter than before.... Still, she couldn't help but smile. That sheepish smile.... It did things to a girl's insides. "Then macaroni it shall be." If she was still hungry, she could dig out a discreet snack later. "This won't take long to make. Do you want it now, or wait a bit? To give the goldfish you like so much a chance to settle," she replied, unable to hold back a corresponding smile.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Now if you don't mind. I'm still a bit hungry and also excited to taste the maccaroni,"Christopher said, sitting down at the table.

((I'm sleepy. Nighty night.))

[Guendolen_Sama]

"All right, then. Just let me get the water on to boil. We should eat soon enough." Selena checked the side of the box, measuring out the right about of water and setting it on a burner on the stove, on high heat. "There. That should boil in less than ten minutes. Then, when it's boiling, I just have to put the macaroni in and it'll be done no time flat." Selena propped her hip casually against the counter as she spoke.

(Me too. Good night!)

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"How was work today,"Christopher asked, looking over at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"It was very quiet, actually," Selena told him, adjusting the flame a bit on the burner. Then she started to extract the box with the air mattress on it from the bag it was in. "We didn't get much business. In fact, I got sent home a couple hours early because of it. That was for the best, though, so I could make stops on the way home without leaving you to sit here and wait so long for me. You know, to get you the change of clothes and also this bed, which I'll blow up for you later." She carried it into the living room, leaving it on the couch.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(Erm, did you see that I replied, here?... Or were you just thinking?)

[MuchoMachoMachine]

((Sorry. I was chatting with my sister.))

"That's nice of your mentor to let you off early. I enjoy your company and the sponge was making me a little tired,"Christopher said grinning at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

(No problem. I know distractions can come at you!)

Selena couldn't completely hold back her laugh about his comment about "the sponge," as he termed it. "Yes, I can see where that would be the case.... And she's not really my mentor, per say. She owns the store, so she's simply my boss. You know?" Her smile grew a bit more shy. "And I enjoy your company too. I'm glad I was able to get home sooner." Thing was, she did. He had a sweetness about him, another trait not really exuded in the book.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh, a boss. Strange words you use here,"Christopher said shaking his head. "And you don't have to work tomorrow right,"he asked, cheerfully.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena has never found the word boss particularly strange, but there you had it. Another mark of just how different they were.... "That's right, I don't have to work all day tomorrow, nor the day after. I might have to run out and do some shopping one of those days, but it won't be an all-day affair. And you could come with me, if you wanted to." She could maybe get him a few more sets of clothes, even. Especially as, well, there were things it might be best for him to pick himself. Like pajamas. And well, underwear.... What Selena knew about men's undergarments would fit in a thimble.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That would be very nice. I'm looking forward to it,"Christopher said jovially, smiling brightly at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh, good!" Selena had to stop herself from bouncing a bit and clapping with glee- and was startled at realizing the urge to do so. She hadn't been that excited over such a simple thing.... Calm down. It's not like it's a date! "I'm glad. There are many new and different things...." She was going to be explaining everything to him, she just knew it. But somehow, it would be more fun than a problem, she had a feeling. Somehow, showing Christopher her world felt good.
But for now, she had to go get the macaroni in the pot! If her hears were not mistaken, that water was boiling.... Selena hustled into the tiny kitchen, tipping the noodles into the boiling water, stirring them around.... Getting the cheese flavor powder set aside for use.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Selena, what is tartar sauce,"Christopher asked, remembering something commonly said by Spongebob.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Tartar sauce?" That was random. But maybe he saw a commercial for it or something. "It's a kind of thick white sauce that people put on fish. Fried fish, for the most part. I've never cared for it myself, but if you'd like to try it we can get a small jar."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"So it's not a word used when something doesn't go how you want it to,"Christopher asked.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena shook her head slowly. "No, I... I'm afraid not, people use rather different words for that...." Where had he gotten that idea from?

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"That sponge on the T.V. always said that,"Christopher informed her simply.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Ah." Selena nodded a little, stirring the macaroni as it boiled. "I see. Well, that show was originally made for children. No doubt they created a unique set of phrases for the characters to use, in order to make the kids laugh. Not to mention a lot of expressions adult use not being seen as appropriate for children." How much of that show had he watched? Selena had never seen more than bits and pieces.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh. I should start watching something else then. It was on all day and that's all I watched,"Christopher said, smiling impishly.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh, you don't have to do that." On pure impulse, Selena came over and lightly rested her hand on his arm. A gesture she really didn't realize she was making. "I mean, it was a new thing, there's nothing wrong with you liking it, really-" Only then did she realize what she was doing. Her cheeks turned a soft pink as she pulled her hand away, hastily turning to check the macaroni as a cover. "There are lots of different programs out there, for all ages-"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"All of the other ones were about soap and operas,"Christopher said.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Oh. Yes." The pasta was done; Selena switched off the heat and pulled out the strainer. "Actually, a soap opera is neither soap nor an opera. Though I don't blame you for not wanting to watch one. What they are is serial stories about what are supposedly people's lives, but dwell on melodrama revolving around highly improbable plot points. And lots of, well, sleeping around...." Selena tipped the noodles into the strainer; steam billowed out as the liquid drained away. "A lot of women love them, but I find them ridiculous. I don't blame you for picking the cartoons."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh. There is obviously much more I have to learn about the customs here,"Chrisopher said, watching what she was doing with interest.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Hey, that's understandable, given circumstances...." Very weird circumstances, but circumstances all the same. "You were just plopped in a totally foreign place, after all.... I don't mind explaining things, trust me." She added the cheese flavor to the noodles, now restored to the pot, and stirred it all up to mix it through. "Could you please get down two bowls? They're in the second cupboard on the right. First shelf." Selena just hoped no awkward explanations would come up, just yet.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Certainly. Are there schools here,"Christopher asked as he stood up and got the bowls, sitting them on the counter next to Selena.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Thank you." Selena began dividing the noodles into the two dishes. "And yes, we do indeed have schools. Quite a few, actually. There are different levels of school. There's elementary school, for kids age five through ten. Then there's what's known as middle school, for kids age eleven through thirteen. After that is high school, for kids age fourteen through seventeen-eighteen. That's what's required, see. By law, in this country at least, everyone has to have some school. When I think you're sixteen or something you're legally allowed to drop out, but not before.
"Now, when you get out of high school you can go to college- also known as university- if you want, for more education. That's for careers and such. But that's optional, and it costs money. You can go to college for either two or four years, depending." Selena finished dividing the macaroni, and fished two forks out of the drainer. She handed him a dish. "Now, what would you like to drink? Water? Milk? Or, as it's a cold night, something hot, like tea, coffee, or cocoa?"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Cocoa sounds like it would taste good. If you don't mind I'd like to try that,"Christopher said, taking his bowl and putting a forkful of macarroni in his mouth. "This is really good,"he said happily.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena giggled, inordinately pleased at how much he enjoyed it. "Then go on, sit down and eat! I'll make the cocoa. It's a hot drink made with chocolate and milk. It's good stuff." She got two mugs out of the cupboard, and the jug of milk from the refrigerator. Put some in each mug, popped it in the microwave to heat. Then got two flavor packets out of the cupboard alongside the one with the dishes. They were individual glossy brown packages, made by the "Land O' Lakes" brand.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You're too kind,"Christopher said, sitting down at the table, happily eating his macarroni.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Well, it's the least I can do," Selena replied shyly. She still couldn't help but blame herself for this occurrence.... After all, she had been writing the novel.... "Besides, I'm your hostess. I'd be very inhospitable if I refused, wouldn't I?" She ate a bite of two of her own macaroni as she stood by the microwave.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Yes, I suppose. I just feel like I'm taking advantage,"Christopher said sighing as he ate.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena carried her bowl over to where he's sitting. "Stop worrying about it," she said softly. "You're in a bad place, that's all. A bad situation, I mean," she hastily amended. "I couldn't possibly throw you out. I mean, where would you go? What would you do? I could never do that to you. I-" The beeper on the microwave sounded. "Oh, the milk!" Leaving her bowl on the table, she scrambled over to extract the mugs, then carefully mix in the sweet cocoa powder. Spoon still in the cup, she brought it over to him. "Here- careful, it's very hot, so be sure not to burn your tongue."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you very much. And not just for this but for everything,"Christopher said seriously, looking at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena felt her pulse flutter, just a bit. She fidgeted with the handle of her mug, feeling her face get a bit warm. "You're welcome," she said softly, looking back in return. "Very much, you're welcome."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher smiled before taking a sip of his cocoa. Realizing that he liked it, he continued to drink until half of it was gone. "That's really good,"he said, finally setting his cup down.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena couldn't stop smiling. He was taking such an artless joy in everything he was learning about her world. The simplest of pleasures, like hot chocolate and macaroni and cheese, were bright wonders, to him. It was no wonder she wasn't nearly as put out by this as one might expect. "Yes, it is. I love hot chocolate on a cold winter's night. It's so comforting." Especially as she had often been at least a little lonely. Sure, she had friends, but... not steady companionship, as it were.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"What season is it currently here,"Christopher asked, steadily drinking his cocoa.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Oh, that's right, he hadn't been outside yet. "It's winter," Selena replied. "We're in the month of February, to be precise." Then a realization hit her- something she had neglected to get him on her stops today. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I forgot to get you a coat! I was so distracted it completely slipped my mind- I'm so sorry!" He couldn't go out in the dead of a New York winter coatless! "As soon as we've got the dishes washed I'll run out and get you one, I promise!"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"No, I'll be fine. I've slept in freezing cold temperatures before and I didn't have but this on,"Christopher said, gesturing to his clothes.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Well, yes, I know-" She had written that scene, after all! "But it was really bad." Another thing she knew all too well, for the same reason. "There's no need for you to do that here. And if you want to go out with me tomorrow- to run errands, you know," she quickly amended, seeing as just the first phrase made it sound like a date. Which it wasn't. Get a hold of yourself! "Well, you'll want to be warm, as we'll do a lot of walking. And my spare coat is too small for you.... Not to mention it would be ridiculous, seeing as it's got little blue snowflakes printed on it!"

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I'll be fine. We can just stop and get a coat first thing,"Christopher suggested.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Um- well- if you're really sure...." Selena chewed on her lip for a moment. "I just want to make sure you're comfortable and everything. You know?" She was essentially taking care of him, in an odd sort of way. Besides, now he was here in front of her, she hated the idea of him being cold or hurt.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Trust me. I'll be fine,"Christopher said, standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders. "You don't need to worry,"he said grinning down at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

For just a second, Selena all but stopped breathing. Standing over her like that, it felt like he was about to.... Stop it, stop it, stop it! She couldn't keep having thoughts like this! Still, her eyes were big, face a bit flushed at the contact.... Her head nodded, a small movement. "Okay," she said quietly. What woman could resist that grin, really? "I... I'll try not to worry, then...."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Good. Thanks again for dinner,"Christopher said, stepping away and grabbing his bowl and cup, setting them in the sink and running water in them. "I practiced with the sink when it was a commercial today,"he said, smiling at her after he turned off the water.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"You're welcome." He wanted to wash the dishes?... Well, who was Selena to say him nay? He looked so pleased with himself, being able to operate a sink now. Selena went over to stand alongside. "And thank you, in turn.... To scrub the bowls, you use this." She held out a plastic wand, as it were, with a sponge on the end. The plastic was clear, showing a blue gel- dish soap- inside it, and there was a rounded plastic button on the handle. "That's soap in there, and you press the button on the handle and it makes some come through the sponge. See?" She'd used this last night, but no doubt he'd been taking in too much of the world to notice. "And you've already learned what commercials are? That was quick." Granted, if he'd spent all day glued to the set, that was no surprise. She didn't remember explaining them this morning, after all.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"It's a bit like the one on T.V,"Christopher said, taking the brush from her and began scrubbing the bowls and cups. "What do you want me to dry them with,"he asked, scrubbing the last bowl.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Wow, you're a quick study." He'd taken right to that! But then again, he had washed out his own stuff after camping, and so forth; this wasn't so dissimilar, in theory. "You just put them in this thing right here. It's called the dish drainer. Set them on the rack, and they'll dry on their own." Oh, and she needed to wash the pot and big spoon. Selena snared it, waiting for him to shift to the side so she could scoot in and do so.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Okay,"Christopher said, stepping to the side and holding out the brush for her as he placed the bowls on the rack.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena took the brush, scrubbing out the pot carefully before settling it too in the drainer. "All right. That's taken care of, now. Thank you very much for helping." What now? Oh, yes, the bed. "I'm going to show you something novel. It's called an air mattress. It'll give you more room to sleep than the couch did. This way." She went to go back into the living room.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"An air mattress. Sounds fun,"Christopher said, following her into the living room.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"I'm not sure about fun." Maybe for some college kids, but that's about it.... "It's really practical, though. It's a bed you pump fill of air, really. You use a special pump that you plug into the wall sockets I showed you last night." Selena had grabbed the box by now and was unfurling the mattress. She'd had to get a single, even though all her sheets were double, because she wasn't sure if a double mattress would fit in her living room, with the couch and her desk both there.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Do you need help putting air in it,"Christopher asked.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"What I could use help with is unfurling it," Selena replied. "It's folded up real small, in here...." She dragged the thing out of the little cloth sack it was tucked into, inside the box. "The pump is fine; it does it automatically. But if we each take an end, we can unfold this faster. It's heavier than it looks, too."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Alright,"Christopher said, kneeling down to help.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"Thank you." Selena took one end, starting to unroll it, and directed Christopher to take the other side and help unfold it. The rubber was thick and sturdy, with an almost velvety napping on one side of it to keep it from snagging on the floor or whatever. Even as small as it was, it would cover a lot of the floor space here when unfolded.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"You're right. This thing is heftier than it looks,"Christopher said helping to unroll it. The rubber was sticking to itself a bit from being packed so tight making it a little difficult to unroll.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"It has to be. A person has to be able to sleep on it, you know? So it has to be able to hold that. And take being transported around places and so forth." Selena gave her end one last tug. "But there. I think we've got it.... Now I just need to find the nozzle... oh, there it is." She scrambled about on her knees to inspect both ends, finding the big black cap that you plugged the pump into. "Now just have to plug this into the wall, here...." Selena then crawled over to plug in the pump, switch it on, and stick it into the nozzle. The bed rippled a bit as air started to go within. A fleeting thought arrived that she probably looked ridiculous, crawling about on her knees like that.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"If we had these back home, sleeping on the ground wouldn't be so bad,"Christopher said smiling, sitting back on his heels.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena smiled. "If you had those at home, you'd need to have electrical outlets in the woods to be able to use them!" she quipped. "Blowing this up by mouth would be nigh on impossible." She sat back on her heels, watching the mattress inflate. Slow but sure, it was rising. Funny, it kind of reminded her of a loaf of bread, for some weird reason.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"I didn't think of that,"Christopher said, smiling sheepisly over at her.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena ducked her head to hide her smile and pink cheeks. There was something about that sheepish grin.... But after a second, she said, "Well, naturally you wouldn't have. You don't have electricity where you come from, after all."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"True, but I'm not there right now so I'm trying to keep up with all you're saying about this world,"Christopher said, watching the air mattress fill up.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"I'm not going too fast for you, am I?" Selena asked quickly. "If I am, I'm sorry. It's just that I grew up around all this, so it's easy to forget-" She was realizing now just how much she took for granted, in her world. "If I say or do anything you don't understand, you just have to say so! Don't worry about it!" The mattress was getting pretty solid. It would be full, soon.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Oh no you're not. It's just a lot to take in so it just takes me a little bit to remember it all,"Christopher replied.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"All right. That- that's good." Selena gulped a bit. She prodded the mattress again; it was about as solid it was going to get. She crawled over to unplug it and hurriedly close the nozzle, to keep the air from getting out. "Just always remember to ask me things. I'll never not explain. All right?"

(Hm, can't wait until he finds certain novel products in the bathroom. ;))

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Got it. Ummm... do you mind if I bathe,"Christopher asked, a little awkwardly.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena shook her head quickly. "No, no, of course not! Not a bit! Just let me get you a towel and washcloth-" She scrambled to her feet, stumbling a bit over the corner of the mattress as she scurried to the linen closet to get out the needed acoutrements. "I'm very sorry my soap and shampoo both have flower scents, it's just that I've never had male guests before-" She handed him the bundle of terry cloth, blushing for some reason. Why? She didn't even know herslef. "Take all the time you need."

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Thank you very much. I'll not be but a minute,"Christopher said before disappearing into the bathroom. He paid special attention to this room and knew exactly what to do. He adjusted the water to his desired temperature before undressing and stepping in.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"That's all right, don't rush," Selena told him as he left. And then she got to work arranging the bed for him. The sheets were larger, which meant she had to wrap them under, but at least this would be more comfortable for him than the couch. In the meantime, she also tried not to think too hard about the fact that she now had an undressed man in her bathroom.... Stop it! It's not like.... Her face got hot, and she tried very hard to focus on other things.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher quickly shampooed and conditioned his hair,though he had to read the directions before doing so. After bathing and rinsing her turned off the water, grabbing the towel off the back of the toilet to dry off. He looked around realizing he didn't have a change of clothes. Sighing, he wrapped the towel around his waist, making sure it would stay before walking out. "Sorry to come out like this but I forgot to get a change of clothes,"he said smiling impishly as he walked into the living room, his hair dripping on his shoulders.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena's head came up at the sound of the door. She turned around- and was subsequently rendered speechless. He was walking around... in just a towel.... She felt her mouth go dry, feeling as though it were full of cotton. I shouldn't stare!
But oh, she couldn't help it. The lean but well-defined torso and back, tapering to slim hips, long, muscular legs.... The body of a swordsman, an athletic man who was always moving. Sure, she'd seen men in swimming trunks and what not, similarly displayed. But this... somehow.... It just felt so intimate. Especially accompanied by that grin. The grin that promised all sorts of....
Stop gawking! Selena shook her head. "It's- all right-" she said, words quiet as she carefully looked at the sheets, making a pretense of arranging them more. Anything to stop herself from staring so shamelessly.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"They're just in the bags in the kitchen right,"Christopher asked, feeling as if the towel weren't there when she looked at him. He wasn't really used to living with a woman and it made him feel a bit awkward sometimes.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Selena nodded, eyes still on the sheets. "Yes, that's right," she managed, still in that soft, borderline-choked voice. Keep breathing, keep breathing.... She had to remind herself of that, so as to not start gasping for air. Especially as part of her mind wondered what he looked like under the towel.... God, I'm shameless! What's wrong with me? Lonely or no, she had no excuse for acting like this! Even if it was in her own head alone.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

Christopher hurried into the kitchen, grabbing the necessary things before heading back into the bathroom. He emerged a moment later, dressed in some striped pajamas. "Sorry for coming out so indecent,"he said, blushing a little, his worn clothes in his arms.

[Guendolen_Sama]

Oh, yeah, she'd gotten him a set of pajamas off the discount rack. The price had been too good to resist. She'd forgotten.... "Um... it was necessary, so please don't worry about it," she said softly. "You're staying here too, after all." Only problem was, the way his hair still slicked to his head from being wet made her think of that honed masculine torso, well-shaped and.... Stop it, stop it! The fact that he blushed didn't help. It only made him more appealing.... Just stop! A fictional creation was soundly off limits! Even if he was come to life, and staying in her apartment.... "Do the clothes fit okay?" she asked quickly. There, safe topic. Except that well, she hadn't gotten him any underwear, not knowing what size to get in that department.... That notion made her brain derail for a moment.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Yeah they fit fine. They're awfully soft too,"Christopher said, sticking his old clothes in a plastic bag.

[Guendolen_Sama]

"That's the idea. Pajamas are supposed to be comfortable, after all." That, and they were technically used. Even though she'd been careful to only pick a pair with good seams and no damage visible. "And there's a set of clothes for you to wear tomorrow in there too, remember. I can wash what you- well- got here in, if you want." No doubt they were hard-wearing garments, after all.

[MuchoMachoMachine]

"Yeah, what are these,"Christopher asked, holding up a DVD.

[Guendolen_Sama]

How had he gotten over here so fast? Sure, the space wasn't large, but he must have moved quickly! She was more distracted than she thought.... "Oh, that's what's called a DVD," Selena supplied. "Inside that case is a round silver disc. It's a means of storing entertainment media. You know, like the things you were watching on the television today," she added as an explanation. "Movies or installments of television shows. If you really like something and want to be able to watch it whenever you want, you can go to special stores that sell those things and buy them. Then you have a special device that you attach to your TV that allows you to play them. See? This is the DVD player." Selena slid across the floor, showing him the squat gray box. "There's a special controller you use to make it work. It looks like a TV controller, see?"