Chapter Text
You walk inside your office, adjusting to the new day, hoping to do something to distract yourself from your technical unemployment and your boss’s growing insanity at the situation.
Meanwhile, your Dateviators leave themselves hanging out of a strap of your jean shorts, idly swinging to the rhythm of your leg movement, stopping as you sit down.
You turn on your newly updated computer, it now moving faster than you were used to, as you idly scroll on various social medias.
You don’t see much, just more political bullshit and understandable complaints of AI among the stockpile of other things. It felt like seeing the various options on streaming services weirdly being placed alongside each other despite not being related.
You sigh to yourself, running a hand through your messy hair as you hear it... a faint yet peaceful instrumental coming from somewhere you couldn’t recognize.
You turn in your office chair, looking around between the various objects, trying to figure out what could be emitting the music.
Finally, you turn the full 180, and there you see it.
A pair of headphones with a purple bat charm hanging just a bit above the left ear cup.
“Were you always there...?” You mutter in a questioning tone to yourself, already reaching for the special sunglasses hanging from your waist.
You place the Dateviators on your nose bridge, your view becoming a tinted rose color as the similar small heart appears in the center, already pointing at the headphones, counting the charm as part of it.
“So, they’re a duo at least, huh?” You mutter once more before taking a breath and releasing the array of hearts as the headphones and charm shine.
And you’re met with them.
On one hand, the charm has become an alive bat plush, able to move and interact with things on their own chaotic accord, as your eyes meet black button-like eyes, perched on top of a headphone wearing head.
The headphones themselves became a short yet adorably chubby woman, wearing a black and white dress, the lower half seeming to be speakers as it continued emitting the same music from mere moments ago as her legs are covered in white fishnet tights leading down to grey heels with an earphone jack as the heel. Her black and gray hair half up in space buns, tied by gray cords, resembling bows. The other half of her hair lies peacefully on her chest, some cords meshing into it. Her face is also delicately adorned with freckles, making her seem a bit softer. And taking after her item herself, she also has a pair of black headphones, the left side having a subtle bisexual flag with an image of a skull overtop of it, as the right remains a standard black. Finally, there rests two moons on the back of her head, one smaller than the other as both are shifting between various colors, showing faint sound waves in them.
The bat makes a soft noise, alerting the woman who seems to be too into the music.
She looks down at it after a few moments, asking softly, “What is it, Echo?”
Her electric blue eyes, meeting yours properly. Sure, she’s pretty, but her eyes both throw you off and intrigue you further about this obvious introvert.
“Oh! It’s you! I was beginning to wonder when you’d look my way!” She speaks enthusiastically, bringing her headphones down to her neck, revealing pointed ears, as a soft techno beat plays in the background.
Now, you’re even more curious. You’d thought she’d be an introvert, yet she seems to be hyped you finally took notice of her.
‘Glad to know the office is like… 70% nerds.’ You think to yourself, grinning faintly upon realizing the irony of her placement.
You then clear your throat, remembering to interact with her, “Well, you’re in a bit of a… inconspicuous spot.”
She chuckles to herself as the bat, seemingly named Echo, moves to her lap, “I suppose that’s fair, yet you placed me up here last time you used these headphones.”
“Right, right… so what’s your name, pretty headphones?” You ask bluntly as her facial expression shifts to a slightly shocked look with a hint of embarrassment.
“I can’t believe I nearly forgot to introduce myself!” She exclaims before taking a breath as the bat moves up back onto her head, “Anyways… I’m Skull Sweet, your headphones! And the little bat, as you probably heard earlier, is Echo!” She smiles brightly at you.
The same title card you’ve seen many times before shows in front of you for a moment, her brightly smiling at you, waving as Echo smiles equally with their pointed teeth.
“It’s an honor to meet you properly.” She says softly, reminiscent of some fantasy video game character as the bat squeaks happily, likely also greeting you.
The card fades away and you see her and Echo once more with the backdrop of books behind the duo, “So, what brings me before you today?”
“Well, as I said earlier, I must’ve missed you between everyone else in here. Of course, I didn’t mean to, but there are literally a hundred of objects I can talk with here.” You say, not sure what else to respond with.
She laughs and the bat laughs in a higher pitched voice, seeming to play along with her, “True, we are an odd bunch. And this office especially is. And me and Echo here… are no exceptions to this.”
“Oh, I bet.” You joke.
“Though, while you’re here, I suppose something’s on my mind that I should let you know.” The headphones add, gently twirling the cord that seemed to mesh with the rest of her hair.
You raise an eyebrow, interested by what she could be implying, “Oh?”
She sighs, holding Echo to her chest as the bat looks up at her and squeaks softly. Skull Sweet takes an extra moment, likely thinking over her wording and responds with, “...Let’s just say I haven’t been connected to any other object in a while, and maybe I’ve grown a bit... lonely up here.... Don’t get me wrong, Lyric and Shelley are great! But I don't know...”
“Do you want me to get you down? So, you know, you can move around easier?”
“Not exactly... for something like me, that usually tends to either move alongside you or stays stagnant in one place, there are some objects I know scarily well, and others I don’t, whether that be for better or for worse. Yet, I want to at least get to know some. So, after this, would you mind moving me onto the desk after this conversation’s done?”
‘So... what I suggested pretty much?’
You took a moment, thinking to yourself. She seemed like a nice person, maybe a bit of a people-pleaser given her role as an item, but we’ll see how that pans out for her later. Ultimately, you saw no major downside to letting her roam a little, “Sure, ironically this is one of the tamer requests I’ve gotten from you all so... I don’t see why not.”
Her face lit up, her eyes seemingly becoming brighter as she smiles, Echo equally happy at the idea of a change of scenery, “Really?! Thank you!”
Skylar quickly showed up beside you as you looked over at her, expecting some kind of insight regarding the situation, which she gave, “When you’re done interacting with her, simply take off the Dateviators and move the item linked to her and place it gently on the desk. I bet you wouldn’t want her getting upset over something easily avoidable.”
The two women fade from your view, as you start doing as Skylar said. You take off your Dateviators, placing them back in the jean shorts strap, grabbing the headphones and accessory with your other hand. You then place the duo on the desk carefully, right beside the computer.
“4 hearts left...” you mutter to yourself, thinking about who you could interact with next. You look over the office, tempted by some obvious first choices in your mind to interact with. Yet, considering Skull Sweet’s circumstances, you wonder if there’s anyone else like her, someone you may have accidentally missed among everyone else.
So, you go to the place where it’s mostly likely you’d end up missing someone; the attic.