I walk down the steps of the stair toward the living area after Aeterna left, with me I bought the bloody plastic bag contains the dismembered hands of Lorenzo and my broken helmet from the battler earlier; even before I could reach the living area, I could hear loud typing on keyboard and Cindy arguing with Lucinda. What is it this time? I ask myself.

Orchid?

I don't get it.

My body feels sore and tired but not enough to immobilize me just enough to make me complain about it, I look down at my belt holster; surprised to see the M1879 Reichs revolver with etched runic word on it barrel is still in my possession.

Aeterna didn't take it before she leaves or is it useless after all the bullet is gone or maybe she just forgot about it. I sighed deeply; I'm too tired to think about it right now.

Reaching the last bottom step I could hear what was Jeanie is arguing about.

"He still out there! I need to go out and find him!" Cindy argued.

"Don't be ridiculous Love, you will get hurt if you go after him!" Lucinda forbid.

"We had this talk already, don't you try to stop me again besides he could be in a dire state or worst, I.. need to help him!" Cindy argued.

"Believe me, Love, that he will be fine, trust me," Lucinda said.

"I'm trying but it so hard to say no to!" Cindy groaned.

"Kusagi, what are you looking at?" Cindy said.

"Woo, never I thought that I would be this popular with the ladies not since high school" I joked.

"Haru?" Cindy exclaims; Lucinda rolled her yes backward annoy by my joke.

I wave toward them with my hand holding the plastic bags containing Lorenzo's dismembered hands; Kusagi eyes wide, ear perk up high and her face light with joy as she saw me, she quickly dashes toward me with open arms.

But she immediately stops and takes few steps backward.

I let out a small laugh; "I thought so, it the smell, you don't want to know where I been through" I said, I could see Kusagi covering her nose and her ears droops.

"Appreciate the gesture but maybe some other time," I said.

Cindy begins walking toward me, her head lowered.

"I don't think it a good idea to get close to me since the smell" I jested.

Cindy's finger digs into her own palm when she finally gets close to me; she grabs my collar, pulling me closer to her and sucker punch me in the jaw.

My head recoils back a little and I wince in pain.

"What did you do that for?" I exclaim.

"Do you know how worry I am?!" Cindy fumed; I can see a nerve popping out on her forehead.

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Cindy cursed while still grabbing both of my collars.

"Is it so hard to check in once a while?!" Cindy scolded.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE HURT OR WORSE DEAD! EVEN KUSAGI WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!" Cindy snapped at me.

"I'm sorry, I kind of forget to check in" I apologized.

"you forget?... You Forget?... YOU FREAKING FORGET?!" Cindy said; I glance at Lucinda behind her, she is visibly shaking her head at my answer.

"Just because you hanging out with a new girl you suddenly forgot about us?!!" Cindy barked.

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"Huuhh!!!!!?" Cindy let out; as her face describe her anger.

"What girl? Kusagi?" I puzzled; Kusagi eyes widen showing confusion while Lucinda deeply sighed.

"You freaking Dolt! It all over your face, the eyes and that small grin you trying to hid" Cindy accused.

"That girl kissed you, doesn't she?" Cindy exclaim.

"What are you? a walking lie detector or the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes" I sassed.

"I'm Cindy Crowe and I know that face you make, it the same face that Lucinda makes after I kiss her" Cindy said.

"Love... I don't make that face even if I make that stupid face please at least don't compare me to him" Lucinda said while her face reddens of embarrassment.

"Can we stop talking about this. At least, wait for until tomorrow morning after I clean my self and take a nap first, I extremely really tired right now" I complain.

"You tired, I'm even tired than you, I been searching for you and worried sick about you," Cindy protest; then she backhands my face.

"Ouch... Fuck this I'm going to bed you guys dealt with the hands and I come back when Cindy has calm the fuck down" I stormed out of the living area after dropping the helmet and the plastic bag on the floor.

As I was walking toward the stair a bunch of stuff flew beside my head; what with the tantrum, I mean I'm the one who has to fight a literal demon from hell.

I can still hear her barked and yelled at me from downstairs; I ignore it and head to the shower.

Closing the shower door behind me, I begin to take off all my weapon into the sink, I take off my tore up hoodie and then my belt holster after that my kevlar vest and so on.

I step into the shower and turn the valve, cold water begins to pour out onto my sore body; washing away the dirt and remanent of the battle. I grunt as my body begins to register the pain after the adrenaline in my body begins to wear off; I dig my fingers into my palm as I try to withstand the pain.

After the worst has passed, I begin to follow my routine of cleaning myself begins by using a lot of soap to wash off the smell.

It took me 15 minutes to fully clean myself; entering my room with only my track pants with all my weapons and dirty cloth in my hand; dropping the dirty cloth and weapon onto the floor. I dive into my bed and close my eyes; slowly but surely I fall into a deep slumber.

That night for the first time ever since three years ago I had a dreamless sleep and it was peaceful.

=============================================================================

The next morning, i woke up, and walk toward the window; Looking out, I was suprised to see that the snow has realy piled up around the warehouse, looking downward to the parking area; i could see kusagi running with a car tire tied to her waist.

Is she in training or something?

Suddenly, Kusagi slip on something and falls flat to the snow. I let out a laugh but stop since it rude to laugh at others.

I shake my thought away; walking to my drawer, taking out a white t-shirt; I wear the t-shirt. Afterward, I walk to the pile of weapons laying on top dirty cloth that on the bedroom floor; grabbing the belt holster, the revolver, and the kunai; equipping those weapons and the belt holster.

I head to living area after closing the door behind me.

When I reached downstairs, I could see Cindy standing beside her work desk with both hands on her waist and glaring dagger at me; I sighed and walked toward her.

"Look I'm sor—" I was interrupted.

"No need, last night was my fault, I shouldn't yell at you. I don't know why last night for some reason I became really worried about you that it just makes me very angry. I forgot why I'm here, and why we are here. I need to accept that one of us could get hurt in the future so I need to learn to deal with it and I'm sorry for overreacting last night" Cindy explained; her hands restless and her feet tapping.

"Sound like you start to get attach me?" I jest; relaxing my shoulder wanting to lighten the mood.

"that what I am, a contradiction. I say don't want to get attached but no matter how much I resist, I always get attached" Cindy said; a small frown begins to creep in.

"It not like it a bad thing right?" I said.

"I don't know yet" Cindy replied; her eyes glancing away from me.

"I wanted to apologize, it also my fault for not checking in, next time I try to do better,"I said after releasing the breath I hold in.

An awkward silence falls on us after we both release our emotion out in the opens; We both stand there unmoving eyes, hands and feet restless, we both didn't know how to continue the conversation after what just happens so we stand there like a light pole on the side of the street for 2 minutes.

As the awkward begins to overwhelm me, I shake away my emotion and continue the conversation.

I cleared my throat first; "So do we like shake hands or hug... or something?" I guessed.

"Sure," Cindy said.

I extend my hand for a handshake but Cindy opens her arms for a hug. We look at each other; did I read the wrong cue, shit this just got even more awkward.

"Redo?" I said.

"..sure?"Cindy replied.

This time I open my arm for a hug but Cindy extend her hand for a handshake. We look at each other again; my eyes look at her hand while Cindy's eyes look at my arms.

"Third time the charm?" I offered again.

"No please, let just move on" Cindy sighed.

"Nope, we are doing this or this will bother me the rest of the day" I exclaim.

"I said it fines!" Cindy protest.

I extend both of my arms for a hug.

"I said no" Cindy protest again.

But I hug her anyway, my arm encircles her body while I pat her back with my hand; Cindy wedges her hands between us trying to push me away.

"Oh god no...enough," Cindy said; pushing me away.

I let out a smile then slowly turn into a laugh; Cindy look at me and she let out a laugh.

We both laugh and laugh our heart out, I could have sworn that the hug was the most awkward thing had ever happened to me.