This chapter is Reader PoV

I can't decide if I feel happy or angry but there is one sure thing:
He finds my face hilarious at the moment.

" Glad you came back Revenant but I think you forgot something essential when entering my home."

"Oh really? Wonder what it is, hehe."

"Stop coming by the window and wait for me sitting on my couch !"

He doesn't hold it anymore and goes for the loudest laugh I've ever heard, almost cracking his voice box. And I can't hold my seriousness and join him in the euphory.

It's good to see him back.

" Do you need a checkup?"

" Nah, I'm good. Just coming by to get some fresh news."

" About me or Loba?"

He doesn't reply immediately, as if he is embarrassed to say the truth:

" Both."

My lips stretch into a big smile as I join him on the couch.

"You should stop blushing girlie, you're making it weird."

"Come on, I'm just expressing my joy to see you! And you are also blushing."

"Am I?"

"It's subtle but I heard your cooling system rushing for a bit."

"..."

"There! You're blushing again."

"Shut up already and just spit the gossip, tiny skin bag."

I chuckle gently but promptly get to the point.

"From what we've heard, the Harvesters are still clueless about your location and our identity. But they are searching actively with one of their sim hunter and Loba. We don't know the identity of the hunter except for his code name, 'Soan'. During the last Apex games, we got some rumors about the other legends being mad at Loba. Theories say that they already saw how agitated they were before and they are nervous about what she might have done to you and how much angrier you'll come back."

"Uh... That's common sense. Only Loba is dumb enough to think that there would be no consequences after what she did. Glad the other legends left her alone."

"Well, She has one legend that supports her. Valkyrie. They're apparently in a relationship and hang out a lot together. Won't be a surprise if she helps Loba to find you."

"Hm. I'll have to be careful about it but ain't that much of a problem. Anything else?"

"Nothing more we could have found in one week. I will give you the updates when there are."

"Perfect."

Revenant changes his posture from a concerned and serious look to a more dominant and inquisitive attitude :

"Now, your turn."

"Uh... Ok. I'm good. Thanks for asking."

"Glad you are but didn't come here just to hear it. I've questions for you."

Oh no. I think he wants the long talk about me and my family.

"Tell me about you."

Yep. There it is.

"I don't know. It's a very long story that I'm not comfortable talking about it."

"And I've plenty of free time and already open up as you asked me by giving you all my background story with Loba. Your turn now."

He kind of gets a point here. But I can't show such a painful and personal part of me for a little 'background story'.

"Ok. We are close enough and I trust you. But I will ask for one more condition to give you the full tale."

"What is it?"

"I want to know YOU. To listen about your past before you became a simulacrum. Who you were, what you like, how was your routine... I wanna know who is behind Revenant."

"..."

I don't know if this silence means yes or no. I'm a bit scared of his reaction.

"Pretty please?"

"Hhm! Maybe. We'll see if your story is good enough to get mine in exchange. Better be a good storyteller, girlie."

Oh, I think you might like it.

"Remember when you asked why we don't look alike in my family?"

He simply nods, staring me right in the eyes. But I don't feel any tension. I think he understands how uncomfortable I'm with this and gives me room to breathe. After all, he has a lot of 'free time'.

"You may have guessed it, but we don't share any bloodline. Have you heard about Orphem?"

"Wasn't that an orphanage that got closed because of mistreated kids?"

"Yes..."

Somehow, I've learned to read into the light variation in his optics to guess how he might feel. He's looking at me differently at the moment as if he was sorry for me.

"I think you understand where I was going with that question. Sid, Myriam, and I were adopted after the orphanage got down. Roy was part of the policemen that investigated there. He saw that nobody was adopting us because getting one child from there was already such a chore, but three would have been chaotic. But everybody realized how close we were and didn't feel like spreading us three in different families."

"And so he took the three of you in the end."

"Yes. It took years for us to learn how to trust people again and live in society. Meanwhile, our dad lost his work because of corrupted superiors who hated how straight and loyal to his job he was. He is now a private detective specialized in mafia and gang business."

"That does explain a lot. Looks like he has some rancor against crime and corruption, hehe."

"Yeah, he always fought against that during his whole life."

"And what're your siblings' jobs?"

"We first supported our father in his investigations but he was constantly scared for us and managed to put us aside. Sid found himself passionate about coding and cracking programs and Myriam loved news technologies and robotics. They started working as grey hat hackers for my brother and Myriam first worked as bot mechanics but after people found out about the simulacra's controversy, she choose her new duty and created a 'Sim clinic' to help simulacrum get repaired or get an appointment with a psychologist."

Revenant becomes oddly silent for a moment as if taking care of sim's mental health was an occult idea that doesn't make sense.

"And what's your job? Something about fixing bots too?"

"Well, yes and no. I used to work with Myriam in her clinic, as I felt concerned by the simulacra crisis too. But I had to stop because of my own ...mental health..."

Strangely, he doesn't react to my confession and keeps listening to me.

"I, then, discovered a passion for creative stuff and became talented in fashion design. I started my freelance shop and got a lot of clients. But I knew it wouldn't last long as I lacked knowledge about business management and marketing. It should have ended there if my work didn't grab Mr. Storivan's attention."

"Who's that?"

"My actual boss. I'm currently working at Foradella. It's a luxury clothing shop where every body type can get a tailored and personalized outfit. I'm myself a designer specialized in cyborg and simulacrum fashion."

He lowers his head, giving me a look that clearly says 'I don't believe any of this'.

"I swear, that's my actual job! You can check on our website and you'll find my name in the employees' section."

"I see. Never would I thought this kind of service exists."

"I could tell from that poorly ripped loincloth of yours."

He throws one of the couch pillows in my face while slurring about my 'too large and tireless stupid mouth'.

He stayed with me one more hour, listening to some ridiculous anecdotes about my siblings or my clients and telling me some about the other legends.

He's about to leave my apartment when he asks:

"Since I've to warn you of my arrival now, when would you want me to come?"

"Uh...Shoot, I didn't expect this. Are you free on Saturday afternoon?"

"Sure. On Saturday then. See ya little skin bag."

He walks away and closes the door behind him, leaving me alone with my growing excitement. I'm gonna see him again! I'm jigging and jumping on place. I don't know why I'm so happy to see him, but it feels good.