The knife that cuts deep

[in_over_his_head]

[1] [Postmission]
[The situation was resolved. What was left of the Organization known as Scylla and Charybdis was being apprehended. Their underground base was in ruins and their ties to the Ebon Court were all but destroyed given the events in the tunnels. Not only that but they also managed to get the third key.]

[Yet despite this Calvin remains silent as he looks up at his battered Genoace. Shield cleaved, guns dented and its knife bloodied. There was clearly something bothering him as his gaze now turned to the recovered artifact. A rusted and very horrifically painful looking knife. Rather than speaking though, the air around the knife just seemed to have the faint scent of blood along with somehow making the air around it sound sharp as impossible as it was.]

Do you ever get the feeling that there's more to a story than you think you know?

[2] [Some time later]
[Calvin's out in town, with coffees in a cardboard carrying tray in hand as he walked down a row of shoplots. Somehow he didn't notice you at all as he kept moving through the area, moving to the older section of the lots and standing in front of one place in particular. From the looks of the place it was a magic shop. Not one of those places that sold stage magician tricks, but one that actually catered to people with a certain set of beliefs. Or in Calvin's case a certain level of wariness for things that people believed in.]

[He lingers at the entrance, trying to compose himself a little as he stared at the door. For a while he looked a little unsure about entering.]

[He still hasn't noticed you either. Try to get his attention?]

Comments

[mc_of_mcs]

It's not just any snack theft: Pudding is love. Pudding is life!

Ah, but that's not the problem here. You wanna know how to go about telling this person, right?

[in_over_his_head]

[He really has no idea how to even reply to that first part. Thankfully as Nep carries on, the potential awkward silence is dealt with posthaste.]

... Yes.

[mc_of_mcs]

It's easy. The secret is: just be honest!

They'll get it...most of the time.

[in_over_his_head]

Most of the time works well enough I guess.

[Calvin has a small smile on his face.]

Besides... this is probably for the better. I really don't want to imagine what'd happen if she found out on her own.

[mc_of_mcs]

Mm...come to think of it...

Who's 'she'?

[in_over_his_head]

... My girlfriend. She runs this place. I never got around to telling her about getting pulled into this fresh round of crazy.

[mc_of_mcs]

[This face.]

[in_over_his_head]

What? A person like me can't be in a relationship like anyone else?

[mc_of_mcs]

Ehe, well, you just didn't seem like the type to have one...I mean, no offense.

I kinda feel like I have to see this in person.

[in_over_his_head]

...None taken.

[Yet Calvin still feels like somehow he's been insulted.]

Do you really? I mean-

"You know I can hear you two talk right outside my door right?"

[The voice that spoke up from the shop was trying her best not to laugh, because really the whole conversation would always be amusing to a third party acting as an audience. Calvin just freezes in place.]



Curse that dame's sharp hearing.

"Heard that too. Youuuu've got a lot of explaining to do Mr Inspector. Now hurry up and get your butts in here."

[mc_of_mcs]

Busted...

Well, after you, Inspector.

[in_over_his_head]

...I really should have seen this coming at the start of this conversation.

[Calvin simply shakes his head and enters, holding the door open for Nep. As for the inside of the shop, it was definitely crowded in terms of its items. It was like one of those magical item shops that always turned up in games that decided to go all out.]



"Well I certainly know that someone looks like trouble the moment they walked in. "

You're never going to let me live that one time down are you?

[The shopkeeper grins from her seat behind the counter, setting down a manga about a witch that owned a magical shop who had an assistant constantly troubled by supernatural phenomena. Calvin just gives her the flattest look imaginable.]

And I'm still wondering if you set this place up just so you can mess with people Lori.

[She simply gives a look filled with mischief at him before she gave Nep a friendly wave.]

"Name's Lorien. Guessing you were giving Calvin here a funny look when you found out I existed?"

1/2

[mc_of_mcs]

I'm Neptune! Pleased to meet'cha.

And it's not your existence I doubted ma'am, but him having a G.F.. I know better now!

2/2

[mc_of_mcs]

[She looks at Calvin again.]

Still, I usually think I'm not a bad judge of character. You threw me for a loop the first time, too.

I mean, you gave off that cool, pragmatic onii-sama vibe.

Imagine how embarrassing it would've been if I started calling you that.

[in_over_his_head]

Yeah... it would've been a little- Wait... are you saying I'm not cool?

[Before Calvin could say anything Lorien reached into his coat, stretched out one of the suspenders hidden under it and let it snap against him.]

YEOWCH!

[While Calvin was nursing the sudden snap, his girlfriend playfully stuck her tongue out at him.]



"Nice to meetcha Neptune. And trust me, I know how it feels to get thrown for a loop with this guy too. Not that I'm complaining, the whole stoic, cool as ice thing's kind of overdone. He's cool in his own way, shenanigans and all."

[Calvin's going to try get his coat back in order, apparently the suspenders got tangled on it somehow.]