2020-01-19 - What? It's Evolving!

"Dammit, Kyle, I send you on one little errand, and you get the damn sniffles?" Mac was standing, arms crossed, in a simple Twilight Eagle sweater and some jeans. Sure, it was freezing outside, but she was just walking around in sandals. Kyle, for his part, looks miserable. His eyes and nose are red, he was actually sniffling. If he wasn't actually crying, it was clear he had a horrible cold. Probably because Abitha made him sit outside for an entire day at the Winterfest. "Fine, go home." She says in a huff, acting mean, but... well... it was actually just an act. There was a little concern hidden in her meany face. "And call me before you try to bring your gross snotty face back in here." Kyle nods, seeming downtrodden, not picking up at all on his boss's ruse, turns to head out.

Kim enters the store as Kyle seems to leaving. It may have taken some time for her to work up the nerve, and was really hoping to run into Mac at winterfest. Still she is here now and was toren as to how to dress, deciding to go with one of her favorite outfits. A black dress with long sleeves, a silvery mid-drift, not too long with ruffles at the edges and the arms. (https://www.fantasmagoria.eu/images/uploader/61/670x893.g/61132-gothic-lolita-shirt-by-glp-4.jpg?t=171773). Also wearing white stockings and bowed black flats. Giving the poor likely sick Kyle a sympathic look, before getting up the courage to go further into the store looking at the retro decor. Certainly approving of it as she walks closer to the counter. Giving a smile to Mac as she approaches, alright she has been practicing what she is going to say. Yet all that comes out is "Mac?" that was the name she heard hopefully it's right.

Abitha is pretty observant, so as she's watching Kyle go, she very clearly spots Kim walking in, her eyes slowly widening, trailing down the girl's form, mouth slightly ajar for a second. Does she always walk around like that? "Kim!" She almost squeaks as she regains some semblance of sense, "That outfit is... killer, holy crap." She takes a second to take it all in from a nearer perspective, then has to ask a common sense question, "Ok, is this like, your normal wear? Cause, fuck yeah, but like, also... maintenance?" She wasn't stringing together cohesive thought, clearly, going by a very much stream of consciousness, which means she immediately has to almost hop, hands going up in a waving palm motion, correcting words spilling out of her in a mess, "I mean! Not that I'm saying you're high maintenance, I mean like I feel like it takes a lot to look that good and I don't mean that it takes a lot, cause you probably don't have to try that hard and..." she has to take a breath, then realizes how dumb she sounds, snaps her lips shut and blushes, wide eyed.

Kim gives a giggle at the reaction to her clothes. Seemed like she did pick the right one and Mac being seemingly flustered does put her more at at ease. Maybe she didn't mess it up as much as she feared. "No this isn't my day to day stuff. I usually only wear it when going out on the town or because I feel like it. I can't exactly wear it to work...I mean they give me a lot of latitude when it comes to attire. But there are limits you know." she ohs "I didn't take it as I am high maintenance. Cleaning them is something of a pain and then selecting the right one. Honestly I probably have too many, but I love love each one. The makeup on it takes so long some days and..." yep she isn't going on either. She clears her throat "So look there are some things I need to say and if I don't now I'm afraid I wouldn't. I am sorry that I came on so strong. I am usually not like that and I had drinks beforehand...that's probably just making excuses. Just I am sorry I made assumptions and I hope I didn't offend you in anyway. Can we just start over?" she extends her hand towards Mac and then a thought does occur to her hearing Mac's voice without the noise of the bar. "You sound familiar...Ah you don't happen to have a youtube channel do you? Some let's plays and stuff."

Kim has no way of knowing that the dazed reflex of Abitha to take her hand and shake lightly was far outside the generally reticent gamer's usual behavior. She listens intently, and after a moment, takes a breath, and breaks into a wry smile, "Ok, yeah, that was something like way outside my comfort zone, the bar, event, stuff... Maggi dragged me cause I'm sure she was just trying to figure something out. You didn't offend me at all. I uh... yeah my life is weird?" Her head cocks a bit as she lifts a hand, tucking her hair back over an ear, seeming a little embarrassed, "And uh, yeah. I stream a fair bit. MacTheKnife. Twitch and YouTube." Which was a slight understatement. Sure, she was no pro, but she had a few thousand subs. She hooks a thumb, "Do you want something to drink?" she asks hopefully, then mentally chides herself, probably making an ass of herself as she overthinks the offer to drink was an offer for Kim to act just as forward as she had been, and then it would just be as awk... Mac, seriously, get your head together...

Kim breathes a huge sigh of relief at the slight hand shake and the general acceptance. "Well for what's it worth you where..." okay deep breath she just apologized and she could dig herself another hole. Letting go of the breath she continues "I think you handled it well. It is bad for me to assume everyone who goes to those events is looking for something. Plenty of asexual people go...not saying you are. Just you know a place to just be you is what I meant." though curious as what her friend Maggi was trying to figure out or her weird life. Probably best not push things there is always later "Maggi seems like she a nice person." Mac's answer puts somethings together that her sober mind can process. Giving a excited squeal she got to shake hands with one of her favorite streamers "You are MacTheKnife? Well of course you are. I adore your streams and drop in when I have the time or I'm working on boring project. I doubt you'd remember my nick but I post comments or chat sometimes. I may have also gifted like hundred subs one time...NakaUdown, it's one I made so long ago but I just kept it and wow you are just so great. I always hoped to meet you at like twitch con or something...ah I mean I'm getting a little fangirl here." oblivious to the embarrassment. Wait there was a question asked "Oh sure something to drink would be nice. Just whatever you have." not taking it as invitation thankfully making things more awkward.

"That was you? No way?!" Yes, out of a few thousand subs, Abitha actually remembered that combination of handle and sub-bomb. She laughs as Kim runs away with herself, smiling and blushing a bit, "Ok, ok. Hold on." Abitha steps around her to walk up front. It was getting around 6, and Kyle was probably supposed to close, but yaknow? It was freaking cold outside and people hardly came in this late anyways. She locks the door and flips off the open sign, then returns to the counter. Intead of rounding it like any normal human being, she leans over it, one leg kicking a little in the air as she pops open what sounds like a mini-fridge, the telltale clinking of bottle announcing the soon appearance of two bottle labeled 'Whitewood.' Still bent over the bar, her voice is a little strained from a compressed diaphragm, but she goes on, "And no, you're right. Maggi and I talked after, did some research. It sounds the closest to how I've always felt... I dunno, she thinks I sort of overcompensate because I'm afraid to give people the wrong idea and disappoint them." There's a clink-hiss as caps are popped open from a mounted opener behind the counter, and Mac finally comes back to stand on her feet, offering a cider bottle to Kim. "Psych student, so I get free friend head-shrinking, I guess."

Kim nods her hand with euphemism "Yeah that was me." wait the realization sinks in she made a fool of herself at the bar with Mac. That stops the rabid fan girling and starts the deep blushing. Secretly happy that Abitha stops her from talking too much as she closes up. Giving her time to recover and is she really leaning over the counter? Yeah Kim don't look, don't look but she does and gives a small sigh. No this is exactly how she is going to get herself into trouble, with some effort she takes time to look the retro systems with maybe only a peek. "You didn't disappoint me at all. I really should have asked. I don't know it just I usually don't get much interest you know. As hard as they could be to believe I have a habit of going on and on that puts people off. Drinking too much didn't help...but yeah it wasn't you at all. Just me, and I was afraid you'd tell me to fuck off next time I saw you." thankfully Abitha stood back up so she can go back to speaking to her directly. She accepts the bottle. A small amount isn't going to hurt and it's just cider "Having a friend like that is good. I mean why are you so afraid of giving the wrong idea? I mean seriously you didn't do anything wrong."

"Welll..." Abitha starts, her best Tennant impression with a grimace, "Because it's happened?" Abitha winces a little, then takes a sip of her cider, shop closed up so it was just the two of them. She moves toward a door into the back room, waving Kim after her, speaking as she goes, "Like, until I went to college, I didn't have a lot of friends. Then suddenly I did? Or I thought I did." The back room is a either a heap of junk or a treasure trove, depending on who you asked. Magnifying glasses, movable lighting, work benches, soldering irons. Clearly this wasn't just a backstock area for games, she did actual electronic repair work back here. Still, she was leading toward another door, "Join a video game club? Bunch of lonely dudes. Stuff um... got weird sometimes." The backs of her fingers are run across a touchscreen that sounds, numbers lighting that she punches a code on, then the door comes unlocked. She opens it to some stairs, where she leads the way upward into... Her loft.

Kim was just taking a small pull from the cider when she is waved over. Kim following behind as she listens to Mac. Shaking her head at the thought of a lonely Abitha "I guess I can understand. I didn't have any friends at my college, but I didn't have time for it really. Just so much to learn and work." offering her own experience. Taking some time to look around the back room and all the stuff in it. All of the repair items and projects in the works. "Very nice." she comments "I am sorry Mac. That really doesn't seem like the most pleasant and being with a the only girl there. I am just sorry..." words seem like not enough and could more to the story. She still feels even worse now for her behavior. The keypad gets her interest and it's going up to Mac's place. She just keeps herself relaxed and another drink from the bottle as she takes around. "Wow this place. Just wow." eyes going over the art, the system and oh my the PC desk. With probably just as advanced system "Just this is so nice. You have a great place...ah I assuming it yours. And your rig! Just looks so Paritto shita."

Abitha makes a dismissive wave at all the apologies, pointing her bottle at Kim, "You have nothing to apologize for. Take it back." Kim's reaction to her home was actually making her flush again. Only a few people had been up here and Kim's reaction had been the strongest, which Abitha appreciated. She takes a sip of her cider as she watches the lolita dressed girl, grinning with a slight squint as she catches the compliment. Crisp? It was good slang. "Yeah, I took a bunch of my sub money and saved up, then, once I had my degree, I used that as a down payment. Bought the building." The open plan loft, besides the cut-in for the bathroom, was identical in size to the gaming store, and was a pretty nice space. She moves over to lean against the back of her sectional couch, realizing, stating awkwardly bluntly, "We keep talking about me." The slight rose to her cheeks mark that as an embarrasing detail, but lack of general social skills preclude any way to ask a question.

Kim tilts her head toward Abitha "Sorry I apologize a lot sometimes...Agh saying I'm sorry again. Still I can't take it back, just I don't know how else to express." she takes another drink from the bottle, not too much though she doesn't finish it too quickly. She gives a small to the grin, it is good to be around someone she can change languages freely with who she isn't related to. "What did you get your degree in?" it doesn't take too much for Kim to realize they had pretty much been talking almost exclusively about Mac once pointed out. She mouths oh as she heads to take a seat on the couch "You aren't wrong, I guess I was just so excited to get to know you. Eh I mean there is a lot. A good place to start...hhmmm. Okay so you obviously know how I prefer to dress. I've always been a little off as my family puts. I mean I literally get paid and very well to hack into systems legally to find weak points. Fix them so other's can't. Of course I may sometimes take a look around at stuff I shouldn't." she adds that part sheepishly "But honestly being paid to do something so fun. It's just great and then there is my paintings, which along with gaming I just do to relax. I have so many hobbies and so little time...and I'm doing it again. I really need to remind myself to keep things short sometimes. Just talking about things I like I can really say a lot." giving a small embarrassed sigh.

Abitha has to take a second, pointing one way, then eyes lifting, thinking, pointing another. Finally she settles on a third direction that was actually north. "Canada is that way." she wisecracks, though the effect might have been a little lessened by the brief confused preamble. She rounds the couch and finds a comfy seat near Kim, flopping into it with a smirk, "Computer Science. Shocking, I know." she jokes, smiling, "Hey, but you didn't apologized this time, so improvement." she snickers a little, taking another drink. Shoulder leaned into the back of the couch, she draws her knees up onto the seat, facing Kim. She was grinning, as much self-deprecating monologue as the girl seemed prone to only giving Abitha amusement, "So you're like... the real thing. Cyber-security. Geez, you don't half-ass anything, do you?"

Kim takes a brief pause to stick her tongue out at the joke. The brightness around her eyes and her posture suggests that she is in good humor about it. She certainly seems more relaxed "Not wrong with a comp sci degree. Certainly better than English lit one." she offers a quip back being taking another sip. Turning her body slightly to face Abitha "I guess I didn't apologize too much. It's another sign of when I get nervous. But hey to improvement." offering to toast. Kim is a talker that is for sure "Yep I am. Any project that has the name Nakamura attached to it is one that those on the other side don't like to touch. I wouldn't say I am the best but pretty damn close. One day I will be. Which it is what happens when I full ass my approach to anything." she says with a giggle "I put my all into whatever I am interested in."

Abitha clinks the neck of her bottle to Kim's easily, drinking, watching Kim, eyes squinting slightly at the implication made, "Other side?" That sounded creepy. This girl... She didn't have the shine. What was she talking about? She starts to reach out mentally... Then immediately pulls back from it. No. Too much power use lately. The dreams were being so... Ugh. Her speech had halted awkwardly, and she tries to cover over it with flattery, "Hey, that's better than I do. Also, you saying you got an English Lit degree too? Or... Girl, what don't you do? And lemme see paintings." She makes a waving motion, knowing Kim must have some to display from her phone. If she was carrying one in all that bustle and frill. "Explains hanging out with Hera. She get home alright, by the way?"

Kim takes a much bigger drink. A bit of a confused look on her face "Yeah you know black hat hackers, script kiddies, bots. Stuff like that. Just short hand we use at the office, the other side." No Kim certainly doesn't have any sort of shimmer. Not yet anyway. The pause is just taken as Mac's sometimes awkwardness. She smiles before gently laughing "I meant it as a joke. My degree is in comp sci as well. It was interesting learning the formal stuff, but I did generally know more than the professors about unconventional programming." the topic of her paintings does make her smile more broadly. Of course she has her phone with her. Reaching into her top she pulls out her phone, hey you have to put it somewhere. Unlocking the screen and quickly browsing to them. All portraits of people, all of the work is decently done but they wouldn't be in any galleries. All of the face somewhat shrouded in darkness meant to convey something missing from the people. "Hera did poor thing. I wish I could remember how she did, but she did."

Abitha shifts a little in her seat, bending a little so her shoulder brushes against Kim's briefly. She of course nercously backs off like an inch once she realizes, still a bit pink in the cheeks, but leans her head to watch the screen as Kim scrolls through. At one point, she would move her hand a little assumingly, pinching the acreen oitward sonshe can look at the details of one. She was smiling softly, thoughtful, "I like these." She says, but maybe she didnt intrinsically understand, or maybe she just wanted to hear Kim explain, "Why do you hide the face?" She glances to Kim, nervously tucking her hair back over her ear again, face really only a foot from the little hacker's.

@emit The accidental brush to Kim's shoulder brings up a bit of red to her cheeks. Alright just a little bit of physical contact nothing too much. Plus she is showing off her art. Happy that Abitha seems to like it at least. Moving one of her hands away so the gamer can zoom in without any other accidental contact. It is a all a special sort of torture for Kim. She is on her best behavior. Kim isn't about to pass up a chance to explain her work "I hide them to show sometime missing inside. It's really become a theme in my paintings. A way to express that I just feel like something is missing. I have do idea what and it just seems to be just out of reach. I'm not sure if it's terrible or wonderful, but it's there waiting for me. Not sure I'll feel whole without whatever it is. So it just comes across by putting shadows in the portraits." trying her best to explain. Of the way the question was asked she smiles her cheeks heating up a touch more. "You are really beautiful. I think so at least." she means it only as compliment immediately regretting it. Oh why isn't there a handy pillow she can bury her face in.

Well there were plenty of pillows, if Kim really wanted. Like a lot of pillows tossed around the floofy couch. But, then again, that would mean retreating from the closeness. Abitha gives that some quick thought as well her face turning her own shade of red at the sudden. What do you say when someone just compliments you out of the blue? Abitha didn't really know, so her eyes flit aside briefly uttering a soft, "Uh... You're..." For once in her life, Abitha doesn't really know what to say to that, at a bit of a loss. She stares at Kim's face for a long moment before finally deciding the only good course of action was a rather large draining gulp of her cider, eyes forward. "...too few drinks in to be drunk already," she finally quips. Her eyes drop to how low her own bottle was. Trying to distract, she lifts it in demonatration to Kim, an ask if she wants another.

There also Kim getting her make-up all over the on throw pillows and of course retreating yes retreating from the closeness. Her cheeks feel like they are burning. She does lock eyes with the gamer girl, as Abitha decides what to say. Not that Abitha hasn't commented before about her looks. Kim is curious/worried, Curiworried, about her reaction. The attempt at distraction is at least not the worst outcome. "Yeah I'm a bit of a lightweight but not much. The cider is tasty though." and gives a nod to the unspoken offer "Yeah another would be great." huh wait is Mac trying to get her drunk? No, no way she shakes her head to dismiss that thought. Deciding to finish off the little that remains from the first bottle as she locks up her phone and sets it down for moment. Toying a bit the green ends of her hair . Right safe topic "I've been thinking about getting into retro gaming. Any games to start out with?" Mac is the expert on those games after all "I'm a little more partial to rpgs as I can play when I have time. "

The thought of getting Kim drunk was a bit far from Abitha's mind. Finishing her drink and needing another was a classic move to create space between them again and give her anxiety a chance to calm a bit. Not to mention the usual defense mechanism of drinking until things were less awkward. There was always that fear Kim would be just as angry or hurt if Abitha wasn't able to give her what she wanted. She breathes. Moving to her fridge, this time a full size model, she pulls out the bottom drawer of it, the tell-tale clinking of glass bottles announcing her retrieval of another pair. More Whitewood, though this time, she was carrying two different types. She hands a 'Summer Switchel' to Kim, holding a 'Kingston Black' for herself when she settles back onto the couch. It seems she picked the same distance she had started from before the move to snoop Kim's artwork. folding her legs up under herself and getting comfortable, she posits, "Well, you have the unique advantage of being able to play the entire line of Final Fantasies uninterrupted." she suggests, then hedges, "Well, skipping 11 and 14, of course. Not that those are retro. Anyways. I have a couple systems downstairs that are actually customized to be ROM boxes stuffed into the old chassis'."

Kim takes the short amount of time to relax herself again. So many thoughts and questions she wants to ask race through her mind. Kim doesn't want to go fan girl or make Mac uncomfortable in her own place again. She hhmmms, taken out of her head, and looks up when the bottle is offered. She does take it "Thank you." Grateful that the old distance is taken up, maybe now she won't blurt anything out...maybe. She listens to the advice leaning back against the couch "You know you aren't the first person to recommend Final Fantasy the older ones that is. I thought maybe they were over hyped and if I compared them to the Persona series I'd be disappointed. The later Personas that is, I still need to try the earlier ones. Cool though I will have to pick up one of those systems." Kim pops the cap on and takes a sip of the cider "Oh this one is nice too. I think I'll have to pick some up. So where did you learn Japanese?" she asks and I thought occurs to her that may help her internal conflict "So Mac, would you prefer me to be honest when talking with you, like probably brutally honest, or tactful? I can do both and usually choose tactful. So thought I'd give you the choice."

Abitha squints at the question, cocking her head, quipiing, "Now I'm wondering if you really watch my stream." MacTheKnife was definitely not famous for betting the most gracious or tactful. They say when you're a streamer you either need to be funny or good. Abitha was good. She smirks, "Yeah, just be honest. I'm literally the worst at hints or subtlety." She takes the drink of her own cider, sighing happily. "Would you believe I joined a Japanese club on high school? I studied more on college, too, but I'm basically a massive weeb. Means I could watch Anime as it came out." She hooks a thumb to a prop hanging on the wall, way in the corner. It was a cosplay version of a scythe, Soul from Soul Eater.

Kim actually looks hurt at the questioning of her not viewing Mac's stream "Do you really mean that?" she is truly a fan and the first answer stings her. What she said is true and really who would admit to keeping a handle like her's. It's a embarrassment to most gamers. Kim owns it though. "Alright I will be." is her response for now there isn't anything more. It is still a great relief to her and later if it comes back to bite her well at least she is being true to herself. Putting her drink down, she speaks in Japanese "Drowning in denial, they're racing through this city
Fighting for survival, an urban Serengeti. Slowly I awaken, and know that I can make Time to show the power that's burning like a fire deep in me," taking her time to make sure that she is understood quoting a fairly famous Anime opening theme song. Really what weeb doesn't know about the Slayers Next theme song. After she finishes proving her Anime creed, picks up her phone again flicking to cosplay folder named Misa "I don't mind weebs. So take a look at my cosplay. Yeah it's me as Misa from Death Note. " as if this is competition not that her chest can match Misa's, seriously who can, but her the outfit is so on point. She knows Soul Eater and she isn't so much a fan as she knows the series.

Abitha slow-blinks at the lyrics. It is clearly recognized by the startled laugh the gamer emits. "Slayers? Yeesh, that is an ancient pull. Consider me humbled, Senpai." She shakes her head, still googling slightly as she takes another small sip off the dark bottle. "And no, I didn't mean it. I was just kidding. You know how brutal I can rag on kids. Abitha does look, having to lean again, but not sho far this time so she didn't make it awkward. She does, however, reach to manipulate the photo again, zooming in on details, her brows lifting, obviously impressed. "Damn, that is well made. I see what you mean about full-ass." There's a sloghtly mischevious smirk, a slightly obscure joke, probably because that's what a lot of people seemed to like Misa for. "Any others you're working on? I think my last good build was my Quake for Comicon."

Kim laughs "Yeah you don't how much I love The Slayers. From the original, Next, or Tri. I've heard there is another one but how it beat Inverse's struggle. But really the whole series seems ilke someone's DnD game. If you really want I can do the dragon slave. Senpai is flattering but I'm pretty sure I'm not your upper-class man." giving a well meaning joke. Kim has a lspecial love for The Slayers, for whatever reason"Yeah I know from your stream personality you have roasted many. Still that could not be who you are in RL. Like interacting with you and how you treat me I think they are different." Kim just gives her free access to her phone. Such a rarity for someone given to digital security. The comment directed back to her makes her blush "Well you know. I was just...ah I don't have Misa's attributes. But my cosplay was cool. I thought at least. Eh well at one point I thought I could be pro SC2 player. It took one match and so much cursing earlier in my life to tell me I shouldn't try to be a progamer. Better to watch streams and hack my enemies."

"Everything can be hacked..." Abitha intones in an approximation of a Spanish accent, making her own reference now. Free access to a phone is a dangerous thing for a curious mind, and deft fingers just may find themselves swiping to see if there were other pictures in the folder to carefully peruse. Sombra would be proud. Maybe. "I mean, SC2 takes a certain kind of mind. Even me, I can kinda keep up, but I'll always tunnel on combat micro and forget my eco." She shrugs about the other comment, "No loss there. Misa was insufferable. Just fan service, in my opinion, which you nailed, though, so you got her only good quality." Maybe Abitha had missed Kim's implication, which only turned it into a compliment, even if unintentionally, "And nah, my personality is pretty much set to trash gremlin 24/7. Honest, but still a trash gremlin."

Kim just shakes her head and giggles "Oh if you only knew how true that was. How much I can really find out about people. Or the secrets they hold. I mean there was one that was sure they could hear people's thoughts? Can you imagine that? Just so loopy right?" and giving Abitha full access to her phone is a thing of trust, there are other folders of cosplay with Kim in a Harley Quinn outfit and so many pictures with her with other women. "Yeah you don't need to tell me it takes a certain mindset, Like I focused too much on macro. I mean playing Zerg shouldn't be so hard." she opens her mouth and closes it "MIsa was awesome. Sure she got used by Light, but in my mind it was because she cared too much" she states "Good quality, ah you where talking about my butt yeah? Seriously you can't see how awesome you are? Look if I am saying too much just say Kim shut up, but I think you are such a wonderful person, and you give me permission to speak my mind. So that isn't fan service. That is me telling you that you completely amazing."

There were more then a few reasons Abitha was starting to go all rosey again. Literally everything Kim was saying was pretty much setting her off on the awkward train. But... Maybe she was too suspicious... And as get mind reaches out, trying to skim Kim's surface emotions, she was hoping to glean some sort of... Anything to trt to wade through this part of the conversation gracefully... And not doing a great job. "Ok, I wasnt specifically talking about your butt," Abitha starts, deciding her usual go-to humor would suffice, flipping to one of the cosplay pictures that would at least show Kim's backside, "But I can assess good architecture when I see it." The rest of it though, "So, for me to be honest to you? You can lavish me with that all night, and as my true fan, you know how stubborn I can be." She actually looks a little annoyed at herself, sighing and tapping her bottle to her forehead before taling another sip, "I don't take compliments well... Cause like... All the internet is is savagery and shade. I know that stuff. And like..." Here's were she has a long pause, making almost a gurgling sound as she tries to put a thing into words and just has to blurt out word salad, "I'm asexual and I don't know if I can be what you want me to be, or if that's what you want, cause like there's a clear bias here..." She flips through those pictures of Kim with women. She finally just falls silent and stares at Kim for a long moment, hoping it wouldn't go as disastrously as every other 'I'm not sexually attracted to you' conversation went.

Kim's mind is strong and while she doesn't shine right now it doesn't she wouldn't always be like this. "Well maybe not about my butt. It is my butt though." Kim tries to deflect with her own humor. "Hey I know what the internet can do. You don't have to worry about that.." When Abitha opens up she just nods "Really I thought so. Because everyone who shows the least bit of interest in me is Asexual. Maybe it's curse of denying what my parents wish for." Okay Kim time to put on your big girl pants as Mac says she isn't sexually attracted to her. "Look I am going to be completely honest here." her eyes focus on Mac's, she wants to be sure that what says next is the truth "I don't care. Sure I'd be so happy if you asked to go to bed, but I'd rather have someone I can snuggle with while playing games. Nothing in a sexual way just being close with someone. I want someone who can put up with me and that doesn't mean I grind things. I have toys for that, I just want closeness. If you don't want from me I'll accept it. I really like you. I did before I recalled who you are....so don't think it's a complete fan girl thing. My idea of the perfect evening is playing a looter shooter while cuddled up and talking. I still want a chance between us. I'll be completely honest I am not Asexual, but I don't need sex. Yeah it's nice but those intimate times between real connect mean so much to me. I am not pushy, all I want is snuggles and a kiss or two every now and again. Hey we are just getting to know each other so who knows what will happen. I'd rather take chance then miss out. So this is me laying myself out on the line. No games and no hidden agendas. I want the chance to be with you in whatever way I can. And if you don't want that, well I wouldn't want to stop being around you or be your friend. It may hurt but that is on me and not you." there she said it. Kim is being as honest as she can be.

Abitha's bottle is finally drained during the toys comment, her cheeks a firey red at the moment as she has to wade through the emotions of this. It takes her a minute, "So uh, yeah, those are really... Loose terms, so we can see how that goes, if it goes, but um..." She's shifting nervously, fiddling with her empy bottle, peeling at the label, "We can absolutely be friends. That's a clear given. If it goes further, that's a down the road thing." Her eyes rise to meet Kim's, "I've never been in a thing with a person? Like... With feelings or anything? Cause, I never really had that kind of... Feeling for anyone?" She puffs a bit of air vertically, bangs lofting briefly, "I figured it would just happen at some point, then really never did. And god, the amount of neckbeards I've had to shoot down." She offers a nervous chuckle, obviously still trying at humor and knowing she was failing at it. "But I'm not dumb enough to outright shoot a genius, cute lolita down." She really can't hold that eye contact for long, as anxious as that statement made her. She tries to joke further, "Not when she can go toe-to-toe with me in weebness... Aaand when she can probably find all the most terrible shit in my search history." Her hands holding the bottle are in her lap as her arms straighten, shoulders lifting, head turning slightly aside as she brings her eyes back to Kim, the innocent child sort of posture as she asks, "But, ah... Yaknow, I'm scheduled to stream tonight, and you already look camera quality?... You wanna play some gaaames?"

Kim looks so guilty that she could have made Mac feel uncomfortable in her home again "Hey we cam forget the whole thing." until she hears the further comments "Yeah for anything more that is in the future. All I know is right now. I like hanging with you and that is enough," she doesn't back away from the meeting of eyes "So you haven't before. It's okay . Maybe it's me or maybe it's someone else. Just take things slow. " Kim is trying to reassuring "Oh the neckbeards. Yeah I get that I offered them a chance if they could hack into a system I couldn't. So many of them went to prison." maybe she is trying to joke back. "A gothic loita" she corrects. "But sure you could and I'd still be here." Kim sticks out her tongue again "I can't be a weeb. My ancestry is from Japan. Thought my brother would come so very close. Oh your search history? Yeah give me a few minutes on your rig. Nothing bad can happen." she bats her eyelashes both joking and looking so very innocent. Setting down her bottle. The offer she blinks "Stream with MachteKnife and play games...I...yeah I'd love that. So let's show these noobs what is up." Kim is excited for sure.

She looks relieved most, as Kim reassures her, smiling. The little hacker seemed like a lot of fun to be around, and Abitha didnt want to spoil that. She does, however, make a face at the possibility of that sort of bet offer would be, tongue out in a gagging face. The threat of the search history has Abitha's hand immediately rising, crossing her forearms in a big X sign, "Nope! No need for that!" She is quick to blurt, gathering her legs under her she goes to get up, "Then it's a plan! PM me some of your cosplay and art on Discord real quick so I can put together a quick feature spread!" She's already muttering to herself as she's moving, "We'll do something console, so lemme grab my tripod. I don't think I've done an Amara playthrough. Makeup..."

"Oh what sort of hentai don't you want me to see?" she starts out and then realizes it could be more serious with another comp sci grad. She waves her hands in dismissal "Hey I'm only kidding. I wouldn't access your system without you giving me permission. My curiosity doesn't extend to getting into things my friends don't want known." Kim nods and gets her phone "Sure I'll send it now." she flicks through screens. It's easy for her to send out the requested info in PM. "Console like Switch or PS4? Hey I am help you out with makeup if you want. I do know how to not overdo things. You know I could probably make your channel bigger than Ninja...if he was still on Twitch."