Notes: Aha, so I've still been debating on a full length Joseph/OC fic, I'm leaning towards the Missing Persons cases being a part of it, but this one I had to write in celebration. I made a conversion! Yes, I got a friend into The Evil Within, and she's already insanely in love with it! Confused, of course, I think we all were after the first time through, but in love!
Samantha Rask hummed to herself. It was a warm, clear day, and the sun felt nice on her skin. You would almost think that there had been been mass cases of people being reported missing. It was like Krimson City had no secrets that day.
It was her day off, one she had requested for herself earlier in the month. There was even a slight spring to her step as she made her way to her favorite bakery.
She spent some time inside, browsing the displays of cakes, petit fours, cupcakes, cookies, donuts, and various other sweets. Though she knew what she was going to order, everyone inside did. She left with a pink box containing four of the strawberry cupcakes she was so enamored with.
She walked a bit, enjoying a light breeze as it blew past. A little way down the road, she sat down at a table and balanced the bakery box on her lap. The bus would not be by for about half an hour. But that was fine. The day was too pretty to complain about.
Her beloved bug had returned from the shop, but she had been worried about driving it. So she had been sticking to public transport. She did not want the bright yellow vehicle to die on her in a bad area of the city. Or any area of the city.
As she balanced the box on her knees, she caught her fingers toying with the flap. The bus was going to take a while... and perhaps she did deserve a cupcake. It was a special day, after all.
As she opened the box, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, squeaked, and almost dropped the baked goods.
"Joseph!"
Joseph Oda, a detective of the Krimson City Police Department, took a step back and held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "I didn't mean to scare you," he began. "I actually called your name a moment ago."
Samantha blushed and said, "Sorry, I must have been lost in my thoughts. I did not hear you." She shifted in her seat as he took the chair across from her. "What brings you out here?"
She had noticed he was dressed for work in his dark pants, shirt, vest, and dress shoes. He gestured in the direction behind them, lowered his voice, and said, "We got a call earlier, someone found a body."
She nodded, understanding. There was no desire to get caught talking about any case in public. Police details were supposed to be kept as neat and tidy as the Krimson City detectives themselves. Anyone caught speaking too loudly or too openly about a case in public would face severe consequences. The details she could hear later.
"What about you?" he asked. He gave her a nervous smile and added, "I don't think I've ever seen you with your hair down."
Samantha touched a strand of red hair that fell over her shoulder. With a laugh, she said, "It never stays in place when I put it up, so I decided not to bother today. I took a day to myself." She blushed and suppressed the urge to groan out loud. That much was clear, going by her dress and the fact that she wasn't at the dispatch center.
Joseph either did not notice or did not acknowledge her sudden blush. He merely sighed and looked off into the distance. "I could really use one of those myself."
Samantha looked off in the direction Joseph had pointed to. She then placed the pink box on the table and leaned forward. "Anyone you, ah, know?" she asked.
Joseph shook his head. That hint he did take. "No, not anyone Sebastian and I know. It's like those people just... vanished."
She frowned. Joseph seemed to be so down. The missing persons cases were really getting to him and Sebastian. She also knew he would leave soon, as he was still on the clock. After a moment's thought, she popped open the pink box and offered him one of the four cupcakes inside.
He looked confused. But at her urging, he took one of the offered sweets. She took another. With a faint smile she touched hers to his, almost like a toast.
"If it makes you feel any better, today is my birthday."
Joseph looked surprised. He smiled as he took the wrapper off the cupcake. "Happy birthday," he told her. He took a bite.
She smiled and thanked him. They ate in silence. Once his treat was gone, Joseph rose to his feet and Samantha followed. "Thank you for sharing your birthday cupcakes with me."
She started to smile, then looked away. "You looked like you could use one. I don't want you down on my birthday, so try to be upbeat? For me?"
He chuckled and said he would try, though staying upbeat in his line of work was very hard.
"You can do it, though!" She placed a hand on his arm for a moment. "And hey... about those people? You and Sebastian can do it, I know you can."
He smiled and thanked her before leaving in the direction he had originally come from. With a sigh, Samantha slowly sank back down on her chair. Though she was down a cupcake, she certainly did not mind. Sharing a cupcake with Joseph Oda? That was a better present than she could have expected.