...Chapter 707 even... XD

Chapter 7:

Seven'd barely pulled on his earphones and started on the next part of his agency work when his phone's vibrate function had it slowly colliding into a half empty bag of chips. With surprising deftness, he snatched it up, only to see a decidedly non-agency related name on the other end. It wasn't the one the hacker wanted to see, but someone still important. Very rare that the opportunity to mess with two people whose reactions amused him came so close together. Either he was very lucky, or this was a set up.

"Helloooo~!"

"Hey!" Yoosung piped back.

The boy probably wouldn't be so chipper if he knew what would happen to Seven if this particular assignment wasn't done within the next three hours. Those were the very kinds of reasons he didn't talk about his job though. He probably had two hours until Vanderwood showed up, stinking the place up with cigarette smoke. Fortunately, talking with Miyeon had put him in a fairly good mood.

"Did you have a nice day at school?" Seven cooed, doing his best to recall the mannerisms of the last person he'd spoken with. Sadly, he couldn't quite hit the right pitch or sweetness of tone. He found himself matching his keystrokes to the song they'd sung.
"…So you talked to her, right?"

"Her, who? I thought I was the only girl for you!"

"Ummm…. Okay…? So Seven, I'm really nervous right now… Umm… What did she sound like? Do you think she'll be on LOLOL when I get back to the dorm? She's probably going to have so many questions about that match and… Ah! What should I say to her?!"

For a solid five minutes he merely let the boy ramble on anxiously while he tried to clear his tracks to hide the breach. It was always fun to see the raw emotion of his friend churning itself into a frenzy, but it puzzled Seven as to why there was already such a display for a person he'd never even seen. Having gone to high school together, Luciel was familiar with these little outbursts over other things. They were always adorable, but this was probably the first time Yoosung'd expressed such interest in a girl since their freshman year. One would've thought they were listening to the desperate ramblings of a man who'd just lost the love of his life to a rival. His mind zero'd in on the reasons quickly – this one was replacing Rika in the RFA and they shared one interest.

Zen had said it the night before, "Dude, a girl won't play that game."

This one did.

Yoosung was already rambling down a list of things he wanted to maybe do in LOLOL for her before shooting his own ideas down and starting back at square one. Some of them were indeed good suggestions, for people who were already in a relationship… For someone he just met, they screamed of desperation. That was probably his friend's biggest issue though. Yoosung knew exactly what he wanted to do once he had a girlfriend, but he could never pick one from the girls who'd asked him out. By taking the time to ensure that he found "her", Yoosung was proving his loyalty to his future girlfriend before they even met. Though it wasn't something he would ever admit, the hacker knew his friend well enough to understand the way his mind worked.

That approach worked against him more often than not though. Knowing the desired outcome lead to the boy tripping over himself because the stakes of "the game" were always in the forefront of his mind, those expectations would always get in the way. It kept him from asking girls out as he'd second guess himself as to whether or not they were "the one". He feared that when a girl did finally say yes, there would probably be so much anticipation of how it "should" be that it'd probably scare her off, leading him into obsession as he'd feel as though he were owed her affection. He'd seen it a few times before in people he'd both worked for and worked against… There were probably no less than three requests in his pile at that moment related to jilted lovers who wanted revenge or protection via his agency. Hopefully that day would never come for Yoosung.

Rather Luciel prayed for his friend to find someone who was just as much devoted to the concept of the "ideal" love so that they could be sickeningly, happy together. In fact, he eagerly awaited the call one-day announcing "I'm going to be a daddy, what am I going to do!?" and the hysterics that would likely come. And when that happened, like now, he'd let his friend ramble until he talked himself back into reason with that sweet little laugh once he understood he'd wound himself up over nothing. Yet again, he'd realize that he, Yoosung, was normal and vibrantly alive, doing good things, and that everything would work out.

Seven longed to have problems so common and carefree, but perhaps that's why they got along so well. He usually enjoyed hearing about the trials and tribulations of someone his own age living a normal life with such passion; it was so very removed from his own day to day. The great challenges and comedies created by his friend over the smallest things amused him to no end. It took his mind off the fact that he now had 2 hours 47 minutes and 38 seconds to get this particular piece done and made it a little easier to accept the possibility of getting tasered for every hour he was late. Vanderwood was rather forgiving, comparatively, to some handlers, but he answered to someone too. That someone would want video showing proof of compliance. Fortunately, his automated scripting had taken care of the worst of it, but there were some things that simply required a maestro's touch.

It took his friend fussing at him for munching on his chips too loudly to draw his attention back to the lower priority issue…

"What do you think?" Yoosung asked coyly.

"...I think I need to make a sandwich with chips in it; the flavor balance between the umami of the ham, some pickles, and salty, sweet of the chips would probably be aweeesooooome."

"Seven! This is serious!"

"It's a grave situation indeed… Very perplexing, vexing to flex on that lady," he rapped towards the end tapping out a beat. "First, take a deep breath." There was a sharp inhalation on the other side. "Okay. Second, let it out." A dramatic poof. "Third, remember that this is another human being not just a prize to be won, you sexist."

"I'm not Zen! I know that!"

"Four, read Ultimate Player's Guide."

"That's not going to happen."

"Okay - Four – alterative for Yoosung and pure hearted, cherry boys_..." he offered, sitting back in his chair, pulling his keyboard onto his lap while letting his ankles rest on the desk to make holding the phone on his shoulder a little less painful to his already tense neck.

"Hey!"

"Relax, be your sweet self, and don't be too pushy," he continued, undaunted by the interruptions.

"That's something my mom'd say," grumbled the student.

"Well it worked for her; didn't it?"

"…Don't bring my mom into this…"

"Your mama obviously had game; you wouldn't be here if she didn't. So maybe you should listen to her. Besides, Miyeon's pretty open minded; she already went on a date with Jaehee."

"WHAT!?"

"Oh yeah, coffee, flowers, cute dress, a little kiss, and everything."

"No way!"

"Let's say two of those things happened."

Yoosung hushed with thought. "So Jaehee met her?"

"You can ask if them don't believe me."

"…Do you think she got a picture since you won't send us the one you have?"

"Dunno."

"Did Jaehee go to the apartment too?"

"No," he answered firmly. It was clear where this was going…

"You know… Since Miyeon is there… Do you think V will let me visit now?"

And there it was…

"…You already know what he's going to say," he sighed, feeling a little ill that he had to be the "bad guy" again. It was one thing to siphon off funds from someone he'd never meet, but to actually hear the disappointment in a familiar voice always cut him deeper than he wanted to acknowledge. "Miyeon is an exception, but the policy remains in place for everyone else."

"She didn't even know Rika though! I mean… What if she steals something or breaks something? She seems nice, but I'm family! I have a right!"

Seven bit his cheek. He'd lost count of how many times this conversation had come up since her death. It hurt, every time… "I'm really sorry, Yoosung."

"If you were, you'd stop making excuses for V."

"It's not easy for me either," he replied, hearing a breath on the other side that told him that his friend realized he was probably pushing it too much. This conversation was already getting too distracting for him. "… I shouldn't say this, but there's nothing stopping Miyeon from talking about the layout of the apartment or Rika's personal things provided she doesn't talk about anything classified."

"You're right! But she already has a lot on her with us wanting her to do the party too, doesn't she? Plus she doesn't really know any of us… And Zen's probably being creepy already…"

"Bingo~!"

"She must be really scared being there by herself in a new place too… Do you think she has anything to eat for dinner?"

"There isn't anything there, and she didn't have groceries with her. So she'll probably have to go shopping."

"Really…? Since you know where the apartment is could you at least order something for her? I can pay you back."

"Should I maybe get her something super spicy to show how passionate you are?"

"…Does she like spicy things?" Yoosung asked thoughtfully. "Hmm… Maybe like pizza? Everyone likes pizza, right?"

"Unless they have allergies, or they're on a diet."

"Stop it! You're making this hard!" the student pouted. "I'll buy you the new expansion when it comes out if you do this for me, okay? It's just to help her out. I mean, she went for coffee with Jaehee, so this isn't weird, right?"

He sat the keyboard back on his desk and returned to a normal sitting position, letting his ankle rest on his knee. His own "flirtations" with her so far were simply to keep that aspect of him sharp should he need it later on; the rest of the RFA was different. They hadn't even known her a day and were already working against each other as though she were some sort of trinket. There was something else about it still bothered him, but he couldn't quite place it… On a purely aesthetic level though, Miyeon was short enough for Yoosung to look big next to her. They'd be cute together. He was a nice boy; she was a nice girl. Not that he had anything against Zen or Jumin, it's just that they didn't exactly need the help. Perhaps he could mediate – a controlled demolition of sorts. "Okay, since you're my boy, I got you."

"Re…Really?"

"Your charitable nature and chivalry have moved me."

"Luciel! You're the best!"

"That's what they say…" the hacker sighed, glancing at his dwindling time. "I really gotta finish this though, so it'll be a couple of hours."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! Just like… Say it's a welcome present?" he added nervously.

"So, "Here's pizza, I hope the heartburn you feel is as hot as my love – muah XOXOXO…?" Got it."

There was an awkward little chuckle. "So…You're cool if I try to go after her right?"

"Hm?"

"Like, you don't like her or anything do you?"

"I don't know her," he answered apathetically. "As long as it doesn't cause trouble or interfere with the party, it's fine."

"Okay. I just didn't want to like… make you mad. You're a really good friend, you know?"

"I'm the best, remember?" he reminded him haughtily. "Anyway, while I appreciate your adherence to the "bro code" I REALLY got to get back to this, or it's going to be a shocking experience for everyone. Bye bye!"

And with that he disconnected and slid the phone aside, using the freedom of his hand to also grab a chip. There was only the crumbs and tiny slithers that'd cracked off left, which meant pawing out a handful to shovel into his mouth. It was probably unsanitary, but maybe the oil from the chips lubricated his keys and fingers so they moved faster. The body was just a machine, albeit a squishy one… Especially after going without sleep for nearly 48 hours.

After an hour and a half of wrapping things up, he used the restroom, did a quick wash down with a damp cloth, then retreated to the fridge, grabbing two cans of Ph.D Pepper and returned to his chair. Pulling up a streaming service, he let Kitchen Catastrophes play in the background while getting a few preparations made for one of the other large projects he'd been given. Something about listening to Chef RamG go from calm to profanity laced tirades was therapeutic. He'd be softly talking to himself to organize his thoughts before some rather choice words were thrown out, flavoring an otherwise boring bit of analysis with naughtiness.

A warning came from the door below before he heard it quiet, and a familiar voice calling out to him over the earphones.

"Seriously!? Why are there pants in the middle of the…?"

He nursed his can quietly.

There had been a time when he had been too terrified to leave as much as a crumb for fear of being cuffed, tied down, or slapped. Now, it was a small act of rebellion… Sweet, sweet rebellion. Plus he didn't have the time or energy to bother with it these days.

It was about thirty minutes before the scent of cigarette smoke was adequately mingled with the aroma of burnt dust created by the vacuum cleaner, signaling that he probably needed to take his earphones completely off. He could feel the shift in the air around him as Vanderwood stepped up to the "Control Deck".

"So?"

Seven tilted his head towards the half hazard pile of completed requests.

"What about that really important one?"

"Had something pop up, but I'm working on it. Don't worry."

There was a pop as his handler swirled his neck to loosen the joints, yet it never failed to make his own tighten. Even with training from the agency, he was all too aware of how lacking he was when it came in the department of physical prowess. He was built for speed, not power. There were advanages though, his slight frame worked well for dressing as a female. Vanderwood, on the other hand, was deceptively strong under his coat and long hair, which was why intimidation was often enough to encourage results… "What kind of emergency?"

"Personal."

"Could it be RFA? You know, I'm being very lenient by even letting you associate with those people."

"I know," he replied wearily. "It's just a little snafu. I finished everything that was due and am actually a little ahead_."

"Who's the girl?" Vanderwood noted, pointing to the screen.

Seven glanced back up, noticing he'd left the picture of her up. "That's part of the snafu," he answered calmly, yet inside he was anything but that. It was one thing for him to be threatened, innocent people was another matter… "She somehow got ahold of the messenger app. So I've been sort of doing some digging on her and finding out how."

"Want me to handle it?"

"No. It's RFA and honestly, she's harmless. The people who leaked the app might have an agenda though."

"You know that's why most handlers don't let their people do this sort of stuff, right?"

"Most handlers don't have the best in the industry either. This is someone looking for the guest info that the former organizer had access to. Really, it's okay. I have under control."

"Coming from anyone else, I wouldn't believe it… Just don't fuck up and get distracted; I like you, I'd hate to have to break something."

"You'd have to really pick up after me then," he chuckled, letting the anxiety slide right off. "Can we stick to maybe a toe? I won't be able to work if you break my arms or hands."

Shaking his head, the feminine thug's head tilted to the pile of cans and empty bags on the desk before he set about tidying them up too. Rather than remain so physically close, Seven retreated with a laptop and the unopened can to the room with the rest of his tech. It was a rather disorganized space to anyone else but was vital to what he did. Vanderwood never ventured into it, as he was too afraid of disconnecting something important… The cold air would help keep him awake.

He was so tired…

Not just physically exhausted, but with the entirety of his being weary of the whole mess.

Elly had it so good…

Seven wanted to shut off the game that was his existence and start fresh. In the next one, he'd be a cat, maybe a huge ginger tom cat who could charm his way into the house of some lonely cat lady. She could carry him around; gently petting his little head and scratching his chin… Rather than yelling, his person would talk to him sweetly just to hear him meow back. She'd let him sleep in the sun all day and get ridiculously fat off cream and leftovers. Every night, he would then roll his tubby self onto the bed cuddle up to his person to show his appreciation. He could then die, having lived a satisfied life.

It probably wouldn't be that easy for him, even then…

A shivering sigh escaped him, as his fingers dug tighter into the laptop to eke out the warmth emanating from the battery. To be warm and safe... That was all he'd ever wanted, not just for him, but for the other half of him. That was what this was all for right? Was Saeran happy at least? Maybe he had a nice girlfriend and was working on his degree like Yoosung… But he couldn't know. It seemed so long ago, he sometimes wondered if that had all been just a dream. He was stumbling blindly through the hell of adulthood, just as he had childhood. At least Dante had Vergil… Vergil had a V in it, but V wasn't exactly guiding him now. Was he just doing it because he could? Was it the money? Was he really enjoying it? Maybe he used to, he didn't know anymore. Maybe these days he was just waiting for something worth waiting for… Even then, if he found anything like that, it'd never be in his fingers long enough for it to matter. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, it was all sort of a pointless endeavor. The cynical part of him was much louder now…

Pulling his earphones up, he set about doing reconnaissance to shut it up. Hearing the coordinates let the numbers paint his gray world in the way that only he could see.

So damn tired…