middaeg | [OPEN]

Who: Monika & You!
When: Throughout Mid-Septeril
Where: Shopping/Entertainment/Aristocratic/Residential Districts, & The Haven
(Daytime or Evening is fine)
What: Clothes-changing potions from the "Victorious Secret" quest that work exactly as intended
Warnings: Lingerie and other sort of revealing evening-wear.

Monika had by now gotten nicely into the habit of working part-time. It gave her the chance to earn some money without feeling too overwhelmed. It also kept her occupied and distracted while everyone else was off on their adventure in that other city. Honestly, the less she thought about that place, the better.

She really didn't like it.

Anyways, today she was off testing a specific set of potions for an alchemy shop. Nothing too crazy, apparently, just some potions that could change your clothes just by drinking it. It sounded pretty fascinating and fun, even if details were a little sparse.

It's only after the fact that Monika finally realizes what she's gotten herself mixed-up in.

The potions are harmless, and they work well-enough.

Maybe a little too well?

"What do you mean that I'm stuck wearing this for the next couple of hours?" was what Monika asked.

To which the storekeeps responded by presenting the fine (and small) print to her.

With no real leg to stand on, Monika excused herself for the day and made her way back to her room. A trip which seemed so much longer now that she was stuck wearing various types of lingerie and evening-wear. While she was able to cast an illusion on herself to make it look like she was wearing more modest clothing, Monika is so distracted that it's tough to maintain her focus to keep the spell.

That's fine, all she has to do is make it back to her room all the way back in The Haven and this will all be over.

Surely it can't be that difficult.

[Additional artist credit goes to here & here.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

While Natsuru can see through the illusion of Monika's clothes, she's not sure if Monika knows she can see through it. So she tries to play it off like nothing is strange at all! Which... has its own issues, when she's standing there plainly wearing nothing but lingerie right out in the open.

"H-Hey, um..." She chuckles nervously. "I... I was done with my shift, but it hasn't worn off yet, so..."

Finally, the blush overtakes her face completely, and she slinks back towards a nearby wall so she's at least slightly less on display. Monika can look if she wants, and she tellingly does nothing to turn away or avoid her friend's gaze, even if she is a little embarrassed. But she's not trying to put on a show for everyone else here!

"I was just trying to get home quickly!"

"R-Right, um... Me too!"

Words kept failing in the face of her roommate... in lingerie. Monika already thought that that Natsuru was just downright pretty, and had a great body, too. Being able to not only see it so up close, but dressed... like that? Stumbling over her words was about all she could manage.

She wasn't even trying to avoid looking at Natsuru's chest, that's how bad Monika had it.

"I, uh... You look..."

Amazing? Stunning? Wonderful?

"You look good!"

She notices where Monika is looking. How could she not? But something about it being her first real friend and roommate, knowing Monika isn't the type of person she always hated attracting attention from back home...

Seeing Monika look at her in such obvious admiration makes her feel warm and fluttery in a way she can't possibly describe. Instead of running or finding herself so flustered she was at a loss for words, she manages to actually answer the compliment.

"Th-Thank you..." Realization of what she'd just said makes her blush even harder. But it wasn't bad, was it? Any normal girl would thank a close friend who complimented her like that!

More than that, even. Natsuru's eyes naturally flick down, taking in the sight of Monika, and she finds herself quietly adding, "You look... really great, too."

That blush grows even redder as soon as the words are out, and she quickly looks off to the side. "I mean... I wasn't trying to look, but-!"

Does Monika even remember that she'd had the ability to look through illusions in the dream world? She certainly hasn't had a reason to mention it to Monika again, even since it started happening for real.

Her thoughts had been so distracted that she didn't realize it at first. The fact that Natsuru could probably notice that she was...

Oh.

Well, it was good that her cheeks were burning red at this point. Not because she was staring at Natsuru in lingerie, and not just because of how stunning she looked, but also because it was her roommate that was complimenting her, now. Being told that she looked great by Natsuru made her heart flutter and skip a beat. She was embarrassed, still, but there was also a part of her that felt...

Happy.

Happy and... warm. It was an odd combination that had arisen from an even odder situation.

But if Natsuru had gone ahead and said such nice things about her, then maybe this wasn't too bad. A little flattery between girls couldn't hurt, right?

"I-It's fine, I don't really mind if it's you."

"Ah..."

The small sound escaped her lips, but Natsuru remained speechless for a long moment. It wasn't only the moment of unspoken understanding, where Monika clearly realized Natsuru was seeing more than her illusions. That had hit her too, but what really shocked her... was Monika saying that. Not that it's okay because they're both girls. That it's okay because it's her.

"O-Okay. I, um... I don't mind... either."

She blushed harder and harder as she stumbled through. But she didn't want Monika to think for a moment that she was uncomfortable around her. It was just... that they were out in the open, and Natsuru didn't have her own illusions now like she had in the dream.

The was a fluttering in her heart after hearing Natsuru say that. It made her feel... warm. That alone wasn't anything new. But this was a different kind of warmth, and hard to really explain.

She liked being around people.

Her friends, of course.

And Natsuru was her friend, too. But for some reason she especially liked being close to her.

"We should probably head back home." Without really thinking, Monika grabbed Natsuru's hand, her own finger's between her friend's. It wasn't really anything new. They'd held bands before!

"By the way, um... I know it's been a while since we both had that dream but. I'm really, really glad you're alright."

Just when it looked like that blush might fade, it flared back up again at the feeling of Monika taking her hand, interlacing their fingers like that as if it's perfectly normal. Which it sort of was. They've done this enough by now that Natsuru's hand automatically reciprocated, gently but firmly clasping Monika's hand with her own. Still, somehow, their... current outfits combined with the closeness made it feel much more intimate this time.

"Y-Yeah..." She quietly cleared her throat, feeling almost swept along by momentum. She found herself walking hand-in-hand with Monika, close enough together that she could almost feel the proximity of Monika's bare skin to her own.

"Um, thanks. I mean, it's because of people like you and Towa-san!" There was a brief pause, as she considered something. "M-Maybe I'd still be okay even if you hadn't helped, but. I'm... really glad you did."

"You don't have to thank me, silly. I would've helped you no matter what." She offered Natsuru a smile and a brief squeeze of her hand.

The two kept walking, with Monika practically forgetting or not minding the rather embarrassing state of undress she was in. It wasn't as though she wasn't confident in her looks, but being exposed as she'd been... It was a little much!

"But that's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. I think... we could take better care of each other if we... um, Bonded!"

There, she just up and said it.

Natsuru felt as if Monika's warmth was infectious. The more she felt from her, the more she felt it bubbling up from within herself as well. Warmth, and a little thrill from their closeness. Monika might not have cared so much about Natsuru seeing her current state of undress, but Natsuru was still flustered over that simple fact.

She tried so hard not to be too obvious about it, that she had to take a moment to catch up to what Monika just said.

"Eh?! Y-You'd... want to...?"

Cheeks still flushed, she blinked widened, surprised eyes in Monika's direction. If they Bonded, it would be Natsuru's first. She supposed they were close enough, and Monika was someone she'd definitely trust...

The suggestion just really caught her off guard. Doing that... they'd be tied together in a whole new way. Was it really okay for her to want that too? What if Monika changed her mind before she could say yes?!

"I mean-!" Unconsciously, she clung the tiniest bit closer to Monika, which only made herself blush harder. "If it's okay with you, I'd... be okay with it too."

"Of course it's okay! I wouldn't be asking if I didn't feel absolutely certain about it." The way Natsuru just always managed to brighten up her day, Monika couldn't help but want to improve upon that. Bonding with her seemed like the most logical step, and it would also connect them in a way that she could at least whenever something was wrong.

Being stuck in that dream was enough of a wake-up call for her that she really wanted to protect her.

"But, I'm... happy! I'm really happy that you wanna bond with me, Natsuru." And a gentle squeeze of her hand to show it, too.

"Honestly, I'm just glad you still want to even be with me. I think I can be kind of a handful sometimes, you know?"

[OPEN]

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boy, this one's going back a ways now...

always worth the wait!

♥

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