(kinda rushed ngl)
"Hey! Gramps, I'm back!"
The door slammed open with all the subtlety of a thunderclap, and in walked Felt
"Sorry I took so long," she said, tossing her blonde hair over one shoulder like she hadn't just made the entire room flinch. "She was way more persistent than I expected. Took a bit to shake 'em."
her words, giving the me the strongest feeling of deja vu, which in this case, would be entirely correct... as It did happen before.
She casually strolled over to the counter table and dropped into the nearest chair. Rom, unfazed, handed her a cup of milk like it was business as usual.
She took one sip and immediately grimaced. "Did ya dilute this with water or somethin'? 'Cause something's off. Pretty nasty, if you ask me."
She lifted the cup up near Rom's face, like she was presenting it as evidence of a crime.
"I made that with the kindness in my heart, and you call it gross?" Rom grumbled, reaching over to ruffle her hair with a big, calloused hand.
Felt squawked in protest, swatting at him half-heartedly. "Stooop it, old man! I'm not a kid anymore!" she huffed, though the smile tugging at her lips made it clear she didn't really mind.
"Watching all this does make a girl feel kinda lonely, y'know?" I drawled from the corner I'd been curled up in.
Felt jumped nearly a foot in the air, her hand flying to her chest. "—Shit! How long were you there?!" she barked, wide-eyed. "Don't just sit in the shadows like some damn ghost!"
"Why nooooot?" I stretched the word out with lazy amusement, leaning back in my seat like I hadn't just watched her soul leave her body for a second.
With the knowledge that I had RBD and that I won't be making the transaction at all, I can just throw everything out the window and make it fun for myself in the process.
So long as I kept the progression ticking toward the right ending, everything else was fair game. Might as well make it fun.
"Being a ghost sounds fun if that's the kinda reaction I get," I added with a smug grin. "Also, it ain't myyyyy~ fault you've got the perception of a brick. Heh. You were scared, riiiiight?"
Felt scowled, cheeks puffed slightly with a mix of irritation and embarrassment.
She crossed her arms, trying and failing to look composed. "Tch - scared? As if. I just didn't expect some creep to be lurking in the damn corner like a haunted doll!"
She shot me a glare, then glanced away with a flustered huff. "Ugh. You're weird."
But the redness creeping up her ears told a different story.
"awwww. How cute," I said, getting up and walking over to them. "You're embarrassed~" I dragged on my words, before coughing "but enough of that. Let's have a little chat. The name's Belova, and what's your name, miss... too good for milk made with rom's love." I smiled sweetly, composing myself not to laugh, and thankfully being successful at it.
Felt clicked her tongue and looked away, trying to act unimpressed. "Felt," she muttered, arms still crossed like a sulking cat. "And I ain't embarrassed. You're just annoying."
Rom let out a low chuckle from behind the counter, clearly entertained.
"Felt, huh?" I said, leaning on the table just enough to be casual, but still keep a little edge. "Fitting name for someone with such sensitive reactions."
She whipped her head toward me, glaring. "Tch, keep talking like that and you'll be feeling a fist in your face!"
"But what if I want you to do that? What if I want you try? Will you still try it?" I grinned. man... being a dick, irl is soo much better than being toxic online. being an asshole, is the best.
Felt reeled back, eyebrows shooting up as if I'd just slapped her with a fish. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Rom let out another deep chuckle, clearly not planning to intervene.
I grinned wider, leaning in just enough to be irritating but not threatening. "C'mon, don't be shy now. Let it out. Throw a punch, bite me, call me names—let's make this fun."
She blinked like I'd short-circuited her brain for a second, then hissed through her teeth, flustered and obviously unsure if she should be mad or just confused. "You are so weird."
"Thanks. I pride myself on my consistency," I said, hands on my hips like I just won a medal for Most Mentally Unhinged Newcomer.
"Rom," Felt muttered, turning to the old man like he could save her. "You sure this one's not gonna burn the place down?"
Rom shrugged, eyes twinkling. "We'll find out."
"Oh ho ho, such pressure... does that mean I should? oooor?"
Felt's eyes widened slightly, clearly trying to gauge if I was serious or just messing around. "Don't even think about it," she warned, her hand twitching toward her side, like she was ready to pull something out.
Rom's gaze shifted toward me with a small, knowing smirk. "That was not an invitation to burn the place down, the opposite, actually," he said slowly, his voice calm but with that twinkle of amusement.
"Oooh, of course. Such sadness. I guess I don't get to burn the place down..." I dropped my gaze, letting my voice trail off, but this time, all I got were stares. "Tough crowd?" I muttered, glancing up only to be met with a glare from Felt. She opened her mouth, but I cut her off before she could get a word out.
"Fine, fine. I'll get to the point of why I'm here. You got the insignia, right?" I said casually, leaning back in my chair.
The shift was immediate. Felt paused, caught off guard by the abrupt change in tone. Her gaze narrowed, her mind immediately starting to churn. Was I sent by the contractor, too? Was I here to collect? But that thought quickly slipped away. No, it couldn't be. She wouldn't want to stay off of it, she would be coming, so no. Still, the question lingered in Felt's mind.
how the fuck did I know about the insignia? and that it was stolen, and that it was now currently in the red-eyed loli's hands.
"Yes...?" She said cautiously, her wariness creeping into her voice. "I do. How do you know I have it?"
I shrugged, the motion slow and easy, my grin not leaving my face. "You just told me? Didn't ya?" I said teasingly, without the light reaching my eyes, showing that I may say it like I'm joking but what I said was the answer, and not just a joke.
Felt's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but there was a flicker of realization too. She was starting to put the pieces together, even if she wasn't quite sure how I knew. "Tch, you're one weird girl," she muttered under her breath, though her fingers didn't stray too far from the insignia.
I leaned forward a little, still watching her closely. "Weird, huh? Maybe. But you gotta admit, I've got your attention now. That counts for something, right?"
Felt didn't answer right away, still chewing over my words, her mind clearly working overtime. After a moment, she shifted in her seat, clearly more cautious but intrigued nonetheless. "Fine. You know about the insignia. What now?"
I tilted my head slightly, considering her question. "Hmm? That's the question for everything, isn't it? What to do... so many choices, so many paths. But I believe you're more interested in waiting for your client, riiiiiight?"
I let the word "right" stretch out. My hands were under my chin, supporting it upright, as I leaned on the table. my gaze fixed on her. The subtle jab, the way I dragged it on, was meant to make her uneasy, to make her think. I could almost see the gears in her mind turning, as she tried to figure out just how much I knew.
She froze for a second, her expression faltering. "How... how did you know that I was contracted to steal it? No one other than me, the contractor, and her should've known. So ho—"
I cut her off smoothly, with a lazy shrug. "Ah, but I do know. I know a lot of things. Things that some of the strongest don't even know yet." I let that hang in the air for a moment before adding, almost casually, "But I'm getting sidetracked. The question isn't how I know, it's... how do you deal with something you can't disclose?"
Her brow furrowed in confusion, but I wasn't done. "Do riddle me this, though—if the future were the past, and all those who knew were... bound by it... Wouldn't you, in turn, try to disclose?"
Yeah, I was testing the waters to see what triggers Sattela's heart groppers. it seems speaking in riddles to the power of 3 works well enough, but I'd say it isn't a viable option as
Felt blinked, her mind clearly struggling to make sense of my cryptic words. "What the fuck does that even mean??"
It's pretty hard for most to understand a single bit about it.
"Yes, what does it mean indeed. think of it as a game, a game that can be tried as many times as you can..." I paused, waiting to see if I would be touched by the yandere's invisible grip, but no hands came. So I continued, "If the events in said game are so awful that even the most bloodthirsty would be revolted. Wouldn't you try to inform the masses about the horrors to come?"
The question hung between us, the weight of it almost tangible.
Felt stared at me, the confusion still written across her face. After a beat, she spoke again, clearly trying to make sense of it all. "I... I still don't get it. What the hell are you talking about?" She glanced at Rom, as if hoping for some clarity, but the old man was just as lost as she was.
Rom rubbed his chin, looking at me with a puzzled expression. "I can't say I follow, either. You speak in circles."
I shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back in my chair, letting the silence linger for a moment longer. "I guess we all need a little time, or I suppose you 2 do. Now, a little friendly advice from one who knows to one who doesn't. Be careful, as in the next half hour, your deaths may come. But don't worry, I'll try my best so it won't happen... hopefully. But anyway, don't worry too much about it."
Rom's eyes sharpened slightly at my words, his hand still on his chin as he processed what I had just said. Felt, on the other hand, blinked rapidly, her confusion evident. "What? Are you trying to threaten me or something?" she asked, clearly thrown off balance by my cryptic statement. "Or... wait, you're just playing with us, aren't you?"
I gave a lazy shrug, my words trailing off as I lost interest in the whole riddling game. "Maybe, or maybe not. Who knows? Seeing your cute face twist through emotions is endlessly entertaining. But whatever, just take it at face value."
Halfway through speaking, the formal tone began to annoy me, so I dropped it. "Be careful. There's a black bi—"
A sudden bang behind me cut me off, and I whipped my head around, eyes narrowing. coming into view, came... the black bitch.
well damn, did i fucking summon her or something
I paused for a moment, then let out a breath. "Never mind then. It seems, you're buyer is here."
---
A/N, wow, this respatory infection is beating the shit out of me. oh well, time to write ig.