IRL: Free Guy: Keys and Mills

Unconventional, But So Us

Millie made her way through the game. Their game. Released to the world as it had been intended. She wanted to check in on Guy. She had seen him rarely since she and Keys had become an item. Which was fine on either end of the spectrum given that Guy was an AI... there was a whole lot unwrap in there as a whole. 

They had been together for three months now. In that time they had created and released a few new games together. The profits from those had allowed the three of them (Her, Keys, and Mouser) to move out. She and Keys got a place together, Mouser got his own of course. He had rooted for their relationship. But... three people in the same small apartment with thin walls was not ideal especially when your two friends were "getting it on" as he put it eloquently. They had both blushed furiously when he brought it up. So yeah, they moved out very soon afterward. 

Keys was out getting them coffee. Rolling over into him in bed that morning, she had observed him as he slept, wondering what she had ever done to catch his fancy. She, a gamer with a broken past. She wondered how long he had harbored feelings for her. She wondered what could have happened if she had never watched the end of that video clip. He could have moved on. But none of that had happened and now, she was the "happiest girl in the world."

Keys had opened his eyes that morning to find his dream girl gazing up into his eyes. He was nervous as all get out for what he had planned for that day. It had taken two months of secret planning with Guy and plenty of coding (yes two. And yes... they'd been together for only three. When you know, you know though and that is the truth). Most of the time consumed had been spent explaining to Guy what he was talking about and that it needed to be kept a secret. Then what a secret was and... it was a whole ordeal. But it finally got through Guy's head. Good thing he learned quickly. 

He left to get coffee that morning, the box burning a hole in his pocket just as it had been for the past week. Millie had been showering when he left. She would probably log in around ten. It was nine-forty now. He needed to get back no later than 10:10. The timing was a fickle thing in this plan. But he thought he had it all worked out.

"Hi, Guy!"

"Millie! Wow! It is great to see you. You, you look great." 

She gave him an odd look. "Guy, are you okay? I know it's your programming and all, but you're acting more oddly than normal."

"What? I'm fine, no, I'm great. Everything's great. This place... is amazing." She fixed him with a don't mess with me look.  "Okay, okay, okay! The truth is... I... have a present for you."

"Oh. Really? Where is it?" 

"Well... it's hard to explain. It's easier if I just show you. Come on." He led her to a random door. Inside were what looked like floating steps made of the square pieces of bubble gum that were in the bubble gum ice cream she loved so much. She watched as Guy stepped testily up on one. Then he turned to her and offered her his hand. She took it.

They walked, well, really, bounced up the floating bubble gum stairs.  It occurred to her that this was something incredibly unique, even to the degree that Free Life was supposed to offer. It only could have been added later. The only people capable of making tweaks like that were her and... Keys. Her heart gave a strange quiver.

They bounced up the stairs for quite a while. Guy was strangely quiet. Suddenly she found that they were atop a large building. All she could see for miles were thick fluffy clouds. The sun was casting beautiful hues of orange and pink across the clouds. "So, where is this present," she asked him. "You have to take a leap of faith," was his response. "What is that supposed to mean?" "Beats me," he said, sounding more like himself, "it's just what the Keys person told me to say. He told me to tell you that you took a leap of faith to jump into this with him. Now he's asking to make another one."

She looked out toward the horizon. As if pulled by some unknown force, she found herself drawn to the very edge. She looked back at Guy. He nodded. This was the way it was supposed to go. Okay. She took a deep breath and took the leap of faith. She was falling, but not really. There was a split second where it was as if she was just... floating in the in-between. When she resumed her plunge, she found that she was almost flying backward. Just like... a swing.  She giggled with glee over the realization that she was on a swing. Flying back and forth until it slowed to a stop. She couldn't see the ground. Still, she jumped off the swing, landing firmly on a cloud. She was reminded of an old childhood fancy of hers where she made snow angels but in the clouds. She also remembered that Keys was the only one she had ever told of it. Not that she needed any more confirmation of who had done all of this. It had his signature all over it. 

She laid on her back, sweeping her arms and legs back and forth. She could see bits of the pixelized cloud puff away. Rolling onto her stomach she found that she was on the back of a cloud angel. It flew her down onto a soft grassy hill. There she found an old brass key. She felt like this was something she had seen in a movie before. She began to poke around with the key until she felt it click into an invisible lock. Turning the key, the door materialized before her. Opening it, she found herself looking at a replica of the coffee shop where they had begun to code together. She found the booth they always sat at. Sliding into her side, she faced where Keys usually had sat. Out of habit, she placed her fingers on the top of the table, poised to type. It triggered something. A little piece of the table disappeared, and out floated a little black velvet box. She stared at it for a moment. Then cautiously grabbed it as if it would shatter. It didn't. Instead, it popped open. Two little words floated above the lid: Turn Around?

Keys had managed to sneak in with their coffee as she was immersed in the elaborate journey he had set up. Quietly, he waited behind her until he saw the digital ring box pop out of the table. Then he got down on one knee and waited for her to spin around. He watched her slowly remove her headset and swivel the chair. Tears were in her eyes. "Millie Anne Rusk, you are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I almost let you get away once. I don't want to ever let that happen again if you don't want it to either. Will you marry me, and make me the happiest man on earth right now?"

She slid out of her chair, shuffled over to him on her knees, kissed him softly on the forehead, and said, "Walter Matthew Mckey, you amazing adorable dork, yes. I will marry you."

As he slid the small, silver-banded kite-cut diamond on her finger and kissed her softly on the lips, Guy did his part by throwing confetti in the background.

Author's Note: If my description of the cut of the diamond was inaccurate I apologize. It was 11 p.m. and I did not want to be bothered with researching the proper terminology.