Hilda has a matter that must be settled with the members of the infamous Mystery Room. She spots one of them by a trademark red orange cap a mile away. Or to be more exact it was at the end of the hallway. And now it has disappeared around the corner.
"Lucy Baker, come here immediately!"
Lucy pokes her head back down the hallway, "Hilda?" She readjusts her grip under a box and places her chin on top of her loose papers before scampering over.
Hilda places her hands on her hips with a huff, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"
Her eyes widen realizing she is in trouble. Biting her lip, Lucy turns her face away, guilty of something alright. "Tell ya wot?" She asks, playing dumb.
Hilda crosses her arms, indicating that she sees through Lucy's facade, "You know what."
Lucy fidgets, "The dish in the lounge refrigerator. Aye, eh... I mighta ate that. I didn't know it were yers. Sorry."
Her endearing little confession makes Hilda's stern lips curve in amusement. Lucy was simply too sweet to be sore at. It is clear she doesn't know what she is referring to.
"Not that. Though you should apologize to whoever's meal you stole." she laughs, "You and Alfendi!" She clarifies.
"Oh!" Lucy gives a tired shrug, "Aye, we've been datin' 'bout a month now. It's nowt new rea-"
"A month!?" Hilda interrupts, taken aback. How is it that Hilda hadn't heard about this until today. This certainly is a long time for everyone to keep this from her. Barton of all people, mentioned it in a casual exchange today. You know you've been excluded when the commissioner hears gossip before you.
Did they really think that this would raise a fuss from her? What a silly notion.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I would 'ave told ya, but I never get to see you!" Lucy reminds her with a pout.
"We must right this wrong at once," Hilda says taking the paperwork off of Lucy's heavy stack.
A very effortless friendship existed between Lucy and Hilda. Common interests and work allows them to relate to each other and their differing personalities gave them interesting outlooks. It is true Hilda was out in the field so often and Lucy was always at the Yard, but when they encountered, their conversations flow like they were never apart in the first place.
They arrive at the Mystery Room to find Alfendi filing out a report with a huge pair of headphones over his ears. His robust voice mimics a singer's low-pitched tone. There is some swing to this song and he sways accordingly. He is carried away into his own jazzy land and is oblivious to the amused coworkers watching him from the doorway.
Truly mystified by the sight, she wonders if this secret hobby is a trait of Placid's or if the Alfendi she knew just never sang for anyone. Hilda has never seen him so free.
"Does this... happen often?" Hilda inquires.
"Aye," Lucy giggles, "Watch this." The box is thrown aside and she runs right up to him to pull one end of the sound blocking device away so she can speak to him.
"I'm back, Prof!" she announces.
He doesn't look away from his work, but his hair tinges to red for a second. "I see that... I thought I told you not to touch my headphones. You wouldn't want to lose those pretty little fingers of yours would you?"
"Ya wouldn't do it!" Lucy challenges him. She certainly is brave because Hilda isn't so sure.
He makes a scissors with his fingers and chops her hand. She yelps in delight, but pulls her hand away which allows his headphones to snap back into place. The music tames him instantaneously, and Placid picks up his singing right where he left off.
What a sight this was. Alfendi was an entirely different person around Lucy. It reminds her of when they would pull pranks on each other back in the day. Although they would usually get all riled up and end up having a screaming match.
They both are suppressing snickers, but the instant they look at one another they lose it completely. Hilda is hunched over her stomach and Lucy is on the ground nearly rolling.
Alfendi pulls his headphone away at possibly hearing the disturbance, when his gaze falls on Lucy lying on the floor giggling like mad. Alfendi still sings, but the lyrics sound more like a question now. He starts chuckling as well, even though he doesn't understand what is so funny. Hilda uses this opportunity to inform him of her presence.
"Hello Alfendi!" She mocks in a sing song tone.
His reaction is priceless. He stops singing mid-word and stands straight and proper as if he was not doing anything a moment ago. The headphone cord pulls taut and disconnects from a hidden music player in his pocket. Music begins to play aloud for all to hear and he fumbles in panic to turn it off, but when he does it only makes their laughter amplify.
Lucy sits up and wipes a tear from her eyes, "Come on Prof! Wot's t' matter? Ya can't sing for Hilda?" He brings a hand to his throat, still flustered.
'Alfendi wouldn't be able to sing for an audience if it meant solving a case depended on it,' Hilda suspects, "I think you're the exception, darling."
Alfendi awkwardly removes his headphones from his head and rests them around his neck. He coughs loudly, ignoring their comments, "Is there something you wanted from us?"
Hilda takes this as an invitation, placing Lucy's papers on the corner of the desk where her chair is adjacent to his. "Not particularly. Lucy and I just ran into one another. We had a lovely chat" Hilda gives a very conspicuous look to Lucy over her shoulder. Alfendi glances between the two, his mind jumping to conclusions. He gives her a look that expects her to say more, but Hilda tosses her hair to the side to block him from her view.
She hears Alfendi growls and suddenly she is being ushered out, "We have work to do," He does pause for a moment to shout to his assistant, "Lucy you get started on that paperwork."
The door slams behind them. The hallway was calm and quiet, though Hilda knew it wouldn't be for long. They glare at one another; they can feel the tension of unresolved conflicts between them.
"Since when have you been this chummy with Lucy?" Alfendi's true side interrogates.
Hilda sees she's already being suspected of dishonest motives. She'd show him, "It's longer than you two have been dating. I know that because Lucy told me, "she emphasizes, "I really should have heard it from you. "
"I knew you would find out eventually. What makes you so special that I should come and tell you personally?"
"Because we're friends!"
Alfendi's lip curls, "Not really."
"Hmph!" Hilda crosses her arms, "I don't see why you insist on being difficult."
"It's just... weird," Alfendi frowns, "I dated both of you."
Hilda doesn't see why that even matters, "That was years ago! I'll have you know I'm very happy for you. I have been rooting for you two all along."
He grimaces, "That's adorable, now would you mind telling me what you two were saying behind my back?"
"We have better things to talk about than you."
"Liar," he snarls.
"Ok maybe we did a little," she admits. She pinches her fingers to indicate a small amount. The distance between is at least an inch tall.
This drives him crazy, "Tell me, woman!"
"Oh we talked about going dress shopping again one day."
Hilda watches his face twist in disgust, "Why on earth would that relate to me?"
"Well, perhaps it would be meaningful to you on a particularly special day," she hints.
"What are you going on about?" he questions, completely lost now. It's like she is speaking a foreign language.
Hilda doesn't hide the snark in her reply, "Oh I don't know, how about your wedding?" she accuses.
"What!?" He backs into the wall, a hand clamping to his hair which is actually not covering eyes wide with fright, "Lucy wants to get married!?"
"Not tomorrow!" Hilda rolls her eyes, but then they sparkle imagining the day, "Oh but she'll be so beautiful. I'll make sure of it," she affirms proudly, though he is still thoroughly distressed by this.
"Lucy is not a doll!" He erupts.
"Alfendi, why do you have to ruin our fun?" Hilda criticizes.
"Hilda!" He hisses at her, "We aren't getting married!"
"Don't be ridiculous."
"I'm not," he insists.
"What are talking about? You and Lucy make a great team."
"So what? We did once, but that didn't mean I would have married you," he shutters. Hilda admits the feeling is mutual, but she still takes offense, "I'm in love. Isn't that enough?"
"Well you can't really expect to date her forever! You have to settle down sometime!"
"That may be what everyone else does, but I can't do that," his eyes close and he sighs.
"Alfendi," she says gently. She knew the way she abandoned him when he awoke from the coma was selfish, but it had been very painful to lose the person she had once been so close to. She is foolish for believing he could simply forget about such a betrayal, "Lucy has already proven she'll never leave. I'm sorry I couldn't have stuck with you, but even you had given in."
He shakes his head at her pitiful apology, "That's not it," He persists, "How am I supposed to know? How does anyone know if they want to be with someone forever?"
"I thought I knew," A sad voice mumbles. Hilda doesn't know how long Lucy has been leaning against the door frame, but she has apparently listened to enough to notice the reoccurring theme. Her eyes well up with tears. "You really don't like t' idea?"
"No. Lucy, of course I want to be with you. I just like to be one hundred percent certain," she turns away, "You deserve that!"
Lucy is prepared to interrupt, but an unexpected look of panic overcomes her. Her breathing hitches and a hand covers her mouth as she chokes back small cries while dashing far away from them.
"Lucy! LUCY!" Alfendi screams.
"Yelling after her is not going to help!" Hilda scolds him.
"Well then what am I supposed to do!?" He demands.
There are actually a number of correct answers he is to ignorant to see. He could run after her, apologize, commit to Lucy as much as Lucy committed to Alfendi. Hilda's resentment gets the best of her, "I think you've done enough!"
The words hit him much harder than she had anticipated."I suppose I have," A very regretful Placid says.
Hilda instantly feels sorry as he retreats into his office. He may have hurt Lucy with his words, but she shouldn't have thrown her own spite at him. Especially when he already knew he had messed up. Men are pitiful.
"I'll talk to her Al," she shouts to him from behind the closed door. There is no way to tell if he had heard her, but she takes off after his girl with every intention of bringing her back to him.
Her workday has already ended in the hour it takes Hilda to find Lucy. The girl has just exited a women's restroom, a predictable place to go when one wanted to be away from their man to cry. Lucy's hat is over her eyes so it isn't obvious. But what is particularly concerning is her green complexion and the rather malodorous scent that clings to her.
"Lucy, there you are!" she sighs in relief, "Are you alright?"
Lucy pushes her hands forward to warn her to keep her distance, "Don't go in there. Erm," Lucy brings her arms to her stomach with a groan, "Don't tell Dusty I made that mess."
She doesn't understand the over protective feelings that suddenly overcome her. They could very easily be compared to a fretful mother hen, "My goodness! Is this because of Alfendi?"
Lucy shakes her head, "No, I were sick before that... when I ran off. I feel kinda better now. I'm sorry to have troubled you and... Alfendi..."
"You really shouldn't have eavesdropped," Although maybe it is best that she heard this sooner than later.
"Ain't really eavesdropping when I could hear ya yelling..." Lucy mumbles sadly.
Hilda is still appalled. How could Alfendi say those things about the girl he obviously cared for so much. "You might as well learn one thing now... Men are stupid," she states as fact, "Even a genius like Alfendi."
Lucy perks up just the slightest bit and laughs, but then her face becomes filled with compasion, "I suppose I understand it a little bit though."
"Understand what?" Hilda asks curiously.
"Prof 'asn't 'ad many people stick wit' 'im. I don't think he's put much though into who 'e'd want to be with. I know Prof cares about me, 'e just… needs some time."
Mouth hanging open, Hilda is in awe of Lucy's wise perspective.
Lucy utters another moan. "Can ya take me 'ome? I don't think I'll get sick again. I promise I won't."
"Of course, but first you need to see a doctor straightaway," She takes her in a tow by the arm. Lucy tries to keep up, but she is just never is fast enough to meet Hilda's stride. But because Lucy is so unwell she does allow her a bit of a break by taking smaller paces.
After such an exhausting and confusing day, Lucy falls asleep on the way home in the car. Hilda is careful to drive as smoothly as possible: she deserves the rest. While she is driving she periodically looks to the young woman, pondering what it is about Lucy that makes her this special. Not many people would be able to forgive Alfendi or see things from his terribly rude perspective... and see him as someone worth loving. Some may say she is just young or naive, but Hilda saw that had nothing to do with it. Lucy is kind and hopeful. If people could the world would be a much better place. Hilda would never allow anyone to crush this spirit. Not like hers had been the day she had decided to give up on love. But a heart as big as Lucy's may just make her reconsider.
Hilda's perspective was interesting. I don't imagine her having the best relationship with Alfendi anymore, hence their fighting. But Hilda and Lucy would make great best friends. And I also think she isn't mean, just misunderstood.
(So many head canons...) I really see Alfendi as a commitment phobic type of person which is the basis of this story -read the chapters and you'll notice it. But we'll see what happens. :) character development be coming your way.