Chapter 11: Gratitude

It's taken a bit of time, but after a couple long nights of good rest, I'm back in shape and ready to be a part of society again! With the pain is all gone and my bones are back to normal, I feel better than ever. Which is both good and bad, considering I have to get back to work once I am back in shape… but it is good because now Vampy doesn't have to come over every day or so to nurse me to health.

Actually, she didn't do that anyway. The most she did was toss me some cold food and walk out again.

Guess that's to be expected, but a part of me is also grateful she took her time to bring me just about anything.

Speaking of. Now that I am able to do my own stuff again, I guess I should hit Vampy up and tell her she doesn't need to come over later for lunch and dinner.

Taking my phone from my pocket, I skim through my contacts. Yes, after last time, I did get to add Vampy's number to my contacts. Next time, I won't have to rely on that Guild Agent… Actually, wait. Let's just not let there be a next time.

After finding her name, I catch myself hesitating. A feeling of uncertainty is welling up within my gut as my thumb hovers over the call button. I don't even know why I feel this way? I'm just calling her to tell her I'll be fine from here on out. That's all, right?

As I take a seat on the couch, I place my phone onto my thigh and run a hand over my face.

Look, I'm not naïve to my own feelings at this point. It took me a bit to finally realise, but I had a lot of time to think in the last few days. I might have some feelings for Vampy. Just a bit.

That doesn't mean I'm just going to confess out of the blue either, mind you. No. If anything, I've been left with other questions. 'Does she feel the same about me?' 'Do I even want to see Vampy as anything but a decent friend?'

Besides, I'm a pretty worthless sob myself. It'll be a cold day in hell if she even wanted to go out with me…

"Yeah. She'd be more into a badboy or something," I utter to myself. "Just don't get your hopes up, B-Face…"

After several more painful minutes of contemplating my options, I finally dial the number… only to be met with voicemail. Talk about anti-climactic. And here I was with the perfect speech prepared for when she picked up.

With sagged shoulders and a deep sigh, I place my phone beside me on the couch and lean back with my eyes closed. I'm overthinking this. I'm overacting. I'm-... making this out to be bigger than it really is. Why do I even feel this way? What is wrong with me?

It's like I'm running up against a wall that isn't even there. Maybe I just need a fresh breath of air for a second. This place reeks of cold pizza and petrol.

As I get up and head for the door, I hear my phone ringing from the couch. Somehow, I slip over my own feet as I spin around and stumble about as quickly as I can back to the couch. I fell flat on my gut onto the couch, causing my phone to bounce upwards. Just barely did I manage to catch it before it hit the floor.

My hand shakes as I answer the call. "H-... Ahem! Hello?"

"Did you call me?" I hear from the other side of the line… Sounds like Vampy. Good. I prepared myself for this. All I gotta do is-... Wait… What did I prepare again?

Shit…

"Uh… I, uh-... Um, yeah. Yeah, I d-did, yeah." Slowly, I get back up into a sitting position. "Just want to, uhhhh, h-how's it… going?"

There's a long, uneasy silence on the other side of the line. 'How's it going'? Smooth, idiot.

"... It's going," she responded. "So why'd you call me earlier?"

"Right. Hey, you were dropping by later for food, right? I just wanted to let you know I'm all better now. You don't have to drop by later if you don't feel like it. Y'know. I can, uh… get my own food now."

"Oh, that's-... Cool. Alright. Hey, hold on for a second."

On the other end of the line, the sound I hear can only be described as a strange screeching of metal echoing through the carcass of a dead whale. Don't ask how I know. I just do. It's exactly the same sound.

Idly, I tap my fingers on the back of my phone as my eyes wander the room. The hell is she doing there…?

"I'm back," she finally responds. "Sorry about that. Hey, uh. Yeah, no problem. Just helping out, I guess. You owe me, though."

Owe her? Well, I guess I do. I did pay for all the food she got me. But she did go out of her way to actually get me anything.

Before I knew it, I was already talking without thinking. "That's fair. Anything I can do for you then?"

Surely, she won't make me do anything highly illegal that would get me in trouble.

"Neh, it's fine. It's fine, really. Besides I don't think I got anything I need, anyway. Just keep your door open when I need a shower again or something. Or a place to sleep? I dunno."

… Y'know, a part of me is disappointed she didn't ask me to do the illegal stuff. I mean, it wouldn't have been out of character for her to do so.

After a small cough from my side, speak up. "You sure, Vampy? I'm down for anything, really."

"Anything, huh?" she muses. "Well… I guess I got something here. Hold on again."

Unlike last pause, this time I can hear her calling out to someone in the background. Can't quite make out what they are saying though. Guess she's at work or something. Well. Her work. Whatever shady stuff that may be.

"Back again," she mumbles from the other side. "I got something I need taken care of. Ever wanted to take a vacation to Lastation, B-Face?"

"Lastation?" I shake my head with narrowed eyes. "How's that doing you a favour? Also, let's be real. Leanbox is like a million times better than that place."

"Eh. I like the Bandicoot Burgers and Coca Nowa's they got there. Anyway, I'll drop by later to explain. Just prepare to, you know, go on a vacation next week Saturday. Got it?"

That sounds like she wants to hang up already. I'm not entirely sure I should let her yet. Not without knowing what this 'vacation' is about. "H-Hold on. Vampy. Just a second. That's awfully vague. Can't you just tell me what this is about?"

"Not over the phone, dumbass. You remember that broad that saved your life? She's totally wire-tapping me!"

I pause.

Wire-tapping Vampy? Why? How? Who is she to do that? Guild Agents aren't legally allowed to do that… Right?

"Err, you sure? Maybe you're just parano—"

"I'll drop by later to explain!" she interrupts in a loud voice. "You don't know how persistent they are!"

I wince back from my phone and rub my ear. Y'owch…"Alright, you don't have to shout at me!" I shout back at her. Ironic, I know. "I'll wait for you here then… I guess."

"Good. I gotta go now. Someone's gonna need to learn how to butter their bacon."

"Butter their-... The hell does that mean?" I question. Yet, when I await a response, all I hear is the familiar tone of the other line having hung up. "Hello? He-... Vampy…? Oh, c'mon..."

Butter their bacon… What the hell does that even mean? Butter their-... Butter… Bacon?

For far too long, I try to make sense of the clear attempt at making an analogy. I wasted a total of twenty minutes before giving in and instead booting up a game.

Okay, so… It's been a year since I uploaded anything to this. Was the story dead? Yes. Did I forget about it? Nope. This has actually been on my mind all this time. This was supposed to be a small outlet and low-effort project. Then it nearly hit 100 follows and it stopped being that for a while.

If there are any inconsistencies from previous chapters or if things feel like they are going at a different pace, sorry. It's been a year since I looked through this one. And it's not like I kept notes. That said… Maybe we're back to finish this to Ch 20 like I wanted? Possibly?