Run, jump, slide.
She had been trying to get up to his eye level for a good chunk of minutes now. Trying and failing to climb up the half wall with her height and stature.
Run, jump, slide.
If he was in any other kind of mood, he'd find a bit of amusement with his pity. It truly was comical watching her try again and again, her tenacity not seeming to waver with each failed attempt.
It was charming, almost admirable to a degree.
Run, jump, slide.
Should he interject? Try to help in any way? Was he even in the mood to do so?
Run, jump, slide.
He sighed, might as well.
He adjusted his posture, making it as comfortable as possible to raise his foot up to his side for leverage.
He whistled. "Oi. Try now."
She nodded, brushing herself off before starting her running start up once more.
This time, using his foot as a foot stool to climb up the wall the rest of the way, throwing her legs over the other end as she now sat atop of.
She let out a triumphant huff of air, her head turning to the urchin. "... Thanks."
"It's nofing… uh-"
"... Annie."
Spyke blinked.
That name seemed familiar to him.
"... yes… Annie. It's nofing."
The silence seemed to come quick after that. As the air settled around them, as the music filled the silence, as Annie collected her breath…
He found the time to scan the crowd, searching for a particular child he also had to leave behind in a huff.
And when his eye landed on the boy, unbothered by the world around him, he couldn't help but to breathe out a sigh of relief.
Thank god he didn't see that altercation. Or hear it, for that matter.
"... What's up?"
His eye didn't break contact from him as he grunted out an answer. "It ain't much..." He rested a hand on his chin. "... M'just glad the kid didn't see wot happened earlier."
"The kid…?"
"That kid. Right there." He pointed him out to her, the action causing her to lightly gasp.
"OH-! That kid!"
"Y'know him?"
Annie shuffled in her spot. "Um… kinda… He fulfills deliveries for me… and sometimes I come around to check on his quota… n'stuff…"
Deliveries? So, he wasn't the only one giving Murch orders…?
…
Now that he thought about it, he remembered getting unidentifiable gear to his location as efficiently as he could. Gear that wasn't sourced from him, and by his own means. Nor did it contain the same abilities the average bit of gear would have.
This gear was off the rack, of an unknown, dubious origin.
It was hard to believe that she was the woman pulling the strings behind that operation…
Not to say that he didn't respect the hustle at all, of course! This was something he didn't even dare to approach, nor even think of as a concept.
Silently watching the gear turn up at that kid's feet, wondering where such a selection of gear could even come from- let alone how it could exist in the first place… and of course being the man responsible for getting that gear to him… it was all enough to garner respect for whoever ran this business the kid also worked for.
He just couldn't picture this ill fit, introverted woman who looked like she lived from morning coffee to morning coffee to be the mastermind behind something so…
… Engenius.
"Quota? For wot?"
But he was open to being proven wrong about that assumption.
Annie shuffled in her spot once more. "Um… it… isn't much… just a gear shop. That's all."
"A gear shop?" He turned his gaze away from Murch. Looking back at Annie with feigned ignorance and genuine curiosity. "Tell me more."
"M-More…?" That clearly surprised her. A reaction that almost made him forget he was in a bad mood for a moment. "Right… um… more… more more more more…"
Looks like she wasn't anticipating someone to ask for more details. Judging by her musing.
"Well… I realized a while ago that, um… the best part about gear, in my opinion, is the abilities… So I got into working with them more. Seeked out rejected or modified gear to um… repurpose. Changing up the main ability to order…. And stuff…"
"So those kids wif the different main abilities, those were from you, yeah?"
"Yeah… from me."
Spyke leaned back a bit, his lidded eye lighting up for the first time in what felt like ages.
So he was wrong about her.
Probably one of the first times he was glad that he was wrong about anything, really.
And for the second time that night, his true feelings poked out from beneath the surface.
"That's… impressive. Y'got me respect."
"O-oh!" She stuttered, fidgeting with the yellow headset that settled around her shoulders. A blush strongly stood out on her fair skin. "I-It's an honor… to have someone like you say that… Especially when Murch sings all these praises about you, and all…"
"An honor, eh?" He placed a hand to his chest. "I'm flattered."
Extremely flattered, judging by the fact that he could feel his heart race beneath his hand.
That anger he felt from the argument was starting to feel more distant now. His conversation with Annie began to occupy his mind more and more.
She was quite the distraction.
And he couldn't help but to drift just a bit closer to her as the conversation lingered.
It was strange how the new owner of Cooler Heads herself couldn't bother to get a nicer washer, he noted as he loaded the clothes that he once wore into a flimsy, pop-up washer as steam from the shower began to fill up the small bathroom.
Well, he partially knew why. Flounder Heights had a laundromat, but given how frequently crowded it was, he naturally assumed that she got this thing for her convenience.
And convenient, it was.
At least, as convenient as something like this could be, of course. He was just relieved that his clothing didn't overfill the little thing as he poured the bucket of water mixed with detergent in.
And with the shutting of the lid and the activating of the machine, the little washer whirled to life, sloshing its contents around as he stood up from his kneeling position.
The shower should be hot enough by now.
If the clouds of steam around him didn't already make it obvious that the shower was ready, of course.
He made his way to the small frosted glass shower, squeezing into it to the best of his ability without hurting his head again or worse- snapping his spines. Eventually winding up in a pseudo sitting position, with his eye still being able to peek over the shower door.
Thank god she had a detachable shower head, even if it didn't fully fit the size of his hands. It would be a nightmare to try to clean himself in this thing otherwise.
Not that he was intending on doing that now. Right now, he just took a deep breath relaxing his shoulders.
And with an exhaled sigh, he shut his eye.
It had been a long day.
Painfully long.
Taking connecting train ride after connecting train ride, having said connections either be missed over some minor inconvenience or scheduling mishap due to an unreliable body clock.
Man he needed a new phone.
Having the one from Splatsville being delayed due to a sandstorm.
The typical inconvenience for the locals.
Having one of his cards decline at a Cafe, even. Due to an unknown reason that hadn't come back up since.
He's banned from that pop-up cafe now.
It just… wasn't his day.
Frankly, it hadn't been his day for the past five years, but today was just a reminder of how far he'd fallen from the embrace of his fleeting wealth.
So far, in fact, that he was willing to accept a night in Annie's home with little to no complaint; just confusion.
Why did she just let him in after not seeing him for so long? Just, without missing a beat, stating that he was coming home with her?
Was It because they clicked that one night? The only other time he openly talked to her?
Did she genuinely feel bad for him?
Nevermind that- why was she in his corner in the first place?
The place he first was, hidden away from her line of sight.
For a long time, she didn't know he even existed. And he used to see her as one of the several jellyfish in the crowd due to how her tentacles reacted during the night.
It was almost a miracle that they were able to connect in the first place. That he came in contact with one of the kindest, genuine hearts the city has ever seen.
Well, that he's ever seen, anyways.
He sighed, opening his eye.
She'd already stated her reason for bringing him back here. To her home. He should be satisfied with that and that alone.
But no. For some reason, he wasn't.
It was almost like he hadn't earned this privilege: the privilege of a warm, home-cooked meal, or a nice comforting shower. Hell, not even access to a washing machine, or a place to rest his head.
Almost? No. He didn't deserve this at all. Not after clumsily falling from what he once had.
Basic necessities and pleasures just felt above him at the moment.
Felt? No.
They were above him.
He slid down to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest with another, more shaky, sigh.
He didn't deserve to be in this shower, not right now. And maybe, not even ever.
Hell, he didn't even deserve the showers of the finest hotels he's been in.
He just… didn't deserve anything.
…
Knock Knock.
He flinched at the gentle knock, cursing at himself under his breath as the voice from the other side called for him.
"Spyke…? Everything okay?"
"Yeah, it is, love." No, it wasn't. "Wot's up? Why ya knockin'?
He sounded a bit choked up. Something he hoped Annie didn't notice.
He heard a soft hum. "Well… I just remembered that the towels I had out were pretty small… so um… I found some beach towels, with better coverage for someone… you sized."
She hesitated.
"Can I… come in…? N'leave them by the shower?"
"I dunno, I'm kinda… y'know…" He rolled his wrist around. "Already in th'shower. Naked. "
"It wouldn't be able to see much, with the shower door… and all… and um… it wouldn't be the first time seeing you like that… if I did see… um…"
Right. It wouldn't.
"... Alright, fair enough. Make it quick, n'all. Fer the steam and wotnot."
"Okay…! Coming in!"
He tried to wipe away the tingle in his eye as the cool draft from the creaking door flushed into the room. Turning his slightly flushed face away from her as she approached the shower, placing the towels she held to the side of the stall.
"Okay! They're right next to the shower… you shouldn't miss…"
He could feel her gaze on him.
"... them…"
He could really feel her gaze on him.
"Spyke…?" Her voice grew softer as she heard her shuffle closer to the glass door. Softer than it normally was. "Spyke… are you sure you're okay?"
"I…"
He looked back, her blurry silhouette staring him down.
"... I… don't… know…"
His speech suddenly became slow. Spaced out.
"... I don't know… at all…"
"Spyke…"
The pity in her voice was heavy. He could hear her eyebrows furrow up in concern.
"You're not fine… are you, Spyke…?"
He deliberated, blankly staring at his knees. "... yeah… I'm… not. "
"... Is it… um… related to what you didn't want to talk about earlier?"
"... yes. "
"Ah…"
There was a pause of silence. A concerned sigh came from the anemone as she watched Spyke place his head on his knees.
"Listen… I… still don't know what happened to you. Why you're back, and all… But… I…" She placed a hand on the door. "... I-I wanna help, in any way I can… to make you feel better… you know?"
" ... you hardly know me, love. "
"And…? We have… well… all the time in the world to change that now… right?"
Right?
"You… want to know me?"
"Of course, I do! I mean… I used to think you were all big… and… and scary… and you are…. K-Kinda… but, um…"
Her thumb grazed the glass as she paused.
"... E-Even big and scary people need someone to care for them, y'know?"
Does he, though?
…
He reluctantly removed an arm from the embrace he held on his knees, shifting his glance back to her blurry form to place his hand on the glass in return.
Right on top of where she placed her own, much smaller, one.
"I fink…" He mumbled. "... I fink we do... if ya have the time, fer me, of course ."
He could sense her light up on the other side of the door.
"I'll… see if I can squeeze you in… haha…"
He could hear the smile in her voice.
And he couldn't help but to smile back, at least, on the inside.
He truly didn't deserve to be graced by her kindness. But at this point, it's a bit too late to turn that sort of thing down, even if he wanted to.
She really did have a knack for distracting him from the bad thoughts in his head.
…
"ANNIE! GET BACK HERE GIRL, THE SOUP IS BURNING!"
Annie flinched, turning to the open doorway "I-It's not soup! They're just really-!" She let out a slightly irritated sigh, quickly turning back to Spyke. "I'm sorry- I have to get back to the kitchen… do take your time getting yourself cleaned up and… um… use anything you'd like! I can just get more… tomorrow."
" ANNIE. THE SOUP."
"IT'S NOT-" She shook her head, leaving her spot by the shower door to answer the ails of her fish, her steps being rather heavy as she rushed out to the kitchen. "WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING OUT THERE!?"
"WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO!"
"YOU COULD'VE FLIPPED THEM!"
"WITH THESE FINS!? I'D END UP FRYING MYSELF . "
"Oh- yeah…"
She… forgot to close the door.
Not that he minded, no amount of steam in the world could compare to the mundane bickering these two had.
They were like siblings, in a way. Family.
And that tugged at the corners of his mouth a bit, with a chuckle.
He pried himself from the shower floor.
Although she said to take his time, it was best not to keep them waiting.
Moe'll probably complain if he didn't get his ration before it got cold, or something.
He had grown accustomed to the prying eyes of others. Staring him down with judgment and all.
Especially now, when he ducked under the bathroom door frame and gave Annie a wave. Her reaction being a flinch and fumble with their plated food before her face went red.
"S-Spyke! You're out already-!"
"Yeah…" Spyke blinked at her flustered state. Nodding rather slowly. "... You alright there, love? "
"I-I'm fine-!" She took a deep breath, collecting herself before she turned to him. "It's just that… you're still- you know …"
"Naked?"
"Yeah… Yeah… " She nodded. "I just… wasn't expecting you to still be…"
"Sorry love… I just hung me threads to dry before coming out here. I won't have a single fing ta wear till the mornin'..."
"It's fine, really… just- give me a warning, next time… so I can hide Moe."
"TOO LATE."
Moe barked from the top of her head, already attempting to crawl under her hat.
"MY PURE EYES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAINTED BY THE SIGHT OF THIS MAN."
" Moe- "
"WAKE ME UP WHEN HE PUTS IT ALL AWAY." The fish huffed as he managed to squeeze himself under the hat he struggled with. "IT'S ALREADY BAD ENOUGH THAT HE'S STAYING OVER FOR THE NIGHT."
… Well, there he goes for the night.
"G'night, mate-"
"SHUT UP."
It wasn't the first time the sight of his body unnerved a symbiote. But it certainly was the most… dramatic reaction he's received.
And Moe said he was the dramatic one. All those years ago.
"S-sorry…" Annie readjusted her hat, fumbling with her tentacles a bit.
"M'used to it. It's nofing." He pointed at the set table. "Now, wot's all this then?"
"It's dinner..." She raised her hands up." "A-although, it's probably best if you didn't sit at the table… In your state, and all… "
Right, given how small the chairs were at her table, it would make for quite the awkward dinner.
"Y'want me ta sit on the couch then?"
"Yeah… the couch is fine… I'll bring your food to you just… try your best to sit appropriately."
Spyke obliged, moving to the couch with a nod, placing a hand on where his towel was to ensure that it wouldn't slip off as he took a spot towards the front of the couch seat. His knees hit the rug that was beneath him.
It was an awkward, uncomfortable position, but it positioned him at the coffee table fairly well, keeping his decency in tact as he brushed aside the clutter that rested atop of the table, making way for the anemone who carefully brought his plate of food from table to table.
"H-Here you are…" She placed the plate down in front of him, careful as to not have the oversized contents of it not slip off. "... Sorry if it's a bit burnt, and all."
What was placed in front of him was… a rather cute way to plate one of these gooey morsels: having it sit upright on his plate, strands of kelp accenting each side of its gelatinous head. Like those octolings he'd see crawl out from the sewers at night back in the day.
And around the base were little sea grapes, probably to help hold the massive snail on the "barely large enough to fit it to begin with" plate.
He gave it a small jiggle. How endearing.
"Y'always plate your meals like this?" He examined the snail as its jiggle rippled throughout, petering out at the swirled tip on top.
"Not all the time…" She shook her head. "Just… um… when I feel like I need a-pick-me up… or something."
For a pick-me-up…?
"A-anyways-! I'll go and get your fork!"
She scampered back to the table, retrieving the cutlery she had out for him. Grabbing whatever napkin she could grab out of the napkin holder as well before jogging back to him, holding out the wad she held to him.
"... Here… "
She was still making the effort to make him feel better, wasn't she?
"... Thanks."
He took the wad from her hands into his palm, giving her a nod before sorting through the mass of napkins she grabbed for him, all while she scampered off to grab her own plate and cutlery to join him with.
And when he found the fork, he daintily held it in his hand, trying to find a way to firmly grasp such a small utensil before scooping a bite off from the top.
The texture and taste were somewhat familiar to him, after all, super sea snails were among some of his favorite foods.
But for some reason… it tasted a bit… different.
It could have been because of his refined pallet, one that had only tasted the succulent fruits of luxury for so long that it became the norm. Or it could be because he had eaten out on so many occasions he had forgotten the normalcy of a home-cooked meal.
But, either way, it tasted… bland.
Bland, with a gentle charred taste that would come with an uneven pan.
Not that he was complaining, or anything. He wasn't expecting a five star meal out of her. In fact, something so mundane was… welcoming , in a way.
Like a gentle hug. A fruit of labor, love and care.
Something that a gourmet dish could never convey to him back then.
He rested his head on his free hand, taking another bite as Annie took her spot in front of him. Taking her time with setting down her respective platter and cutlery as she knelt.
And as she clapped her hands together, she bowed her head, mumbling a silent phrase of gratitude.
A sight he huffed in amusement at as he chewed what was in his mouth.
How proper.
She looked up, sensing his huff. And her hands fell into her lap.
"S-Sorry…"
He hummed, inquisitively at her apology. Swallowing as her face turned red out of embarrassment.
"S'nuffin, love. I ain't makin fun of ya." He attempted to reassure her. "I've just… haven't seen a proper display of table manners 'n a while. The blokes I got mixed up wif just threw 'em aside like it wos nofing . Issa nice change of pace, y'know?"
"Oh…"
She sheepishly chuckled, brushing her hair aside.
"... Sorry."
Spyke huffed out a breath of air, stuffing another bite into his mouth as the meal droned on in silence. Watching as Annie cautiously picked up her own fork, daintily taking small scoops out of her own snail before eating them.
She was looking down as she did so. Occasionally darting her eyes up at him before they shy themselves away once more.
"So… um… you really only have one set of clothes?"
He hummed at her question, swallowing what he had in his mouth.
"Yeah? S'wot I came back in, innit?"
"Well… it's just…" She fumbled with her fork, her voice lowering to an almost whisper as she looked up, leaning forward. " Really…? Only one outfit? "
He rolled his eye. "Issit really that big of a deal?"
"Well y- maybe? " She nodded her head in the direction of where he left his shoes: a thoroughly frayed pair of slip-ons that finally decided to give way. "Your shoes kind of… um, exploded … on the way here. And your pants are ill fitting and… very well beyond their years."
"Well, those ol' trousers were ones I had when I wos a still growin' lad."
Not helping.
"And you chose them over what you had before?"
"Well, wot I had before… got torn bad once they caught onto somefing."
"They did?"
"Yeah. Those poor sluggers I wore, they got a proper rip in 'em. They were binned the moment I got me some privacy."
"And… the rest?"
The rest.
He deliberated for a moment, looking down at his half eaten morsel.
"... lost 'em."
Same story he told Jelonzo. And again, it wasn't too far from the truth, either.
"You… you LOST them-!?"
And she started to sound like him too.
She stared at him, wide eyed, almost like there was absolute shock and a twinge of horror behind her gaze. "... how? "
Spyke shrugged. "... Nomad's habit, I guess."
"You… guess? "
"Well…" He deliberated briefly. "... Maybe I got just the teinsiest of cases of those 'butter fingers'. It ain't that big of a deal."
Another bite was shoveled into his mouth, his eye watching as Annie's face creased into one of her hands with a sigh.
" Spyke… "
Her voice was mixed with concern and the tiniest bit of frustration.
"What?" His response was muffled as he chewed.
"You're… you're coming to the booyah base with me tomorrow. "
He coughed at her statement, nearly choking on what was in his mouth. " WOT- "
"Well I-I can't have you walking around in… in that! "
He swallowed what was in his mouth with a heavy gulp. "Love, I don't fink you need ta go that far in helpin' me arse out. Isn't putting a roof over me head for the night enough?"
"Spyke…"
"I mean- I know I can't afford ta get new threads right now. But I can get by. Find a way ta make the extra G, n'all-"
" Spyke. "
He felt a tiny hand rest upon the non dominant hand he had rested on the table not too long ago. The skin on skin contact almost making him flinch as his eye darted to it. Tracing the spot from where it rested up to its host with his widened eye.
He felt his throat tense up as she stared at him. Her browline furrowed at him.
"I told you… I'm willing to help you in any way I can."
"T'make me feel better, yeah, I know."
"Then…" She held the finger her hand rested on. "Let me get you new clothes."
He grunted, looking away.
He could feel his cheek getting warm from her insisting on upgrading his wardrobe a tad. From the gentle touch she gave him, and the concern from her aquamarine eyes.
" Please…? "
… God damnit. Why was there always something about this woman that made him fold.
"One. Y'can get me one set of clothing, alright?"
He glanced back over, swiping his hand away from her touch.
Annie, realizing that her hand was upon his just a moment ago, also blushed a bit. Nodding. "Y-yeah… of course. Just the one…"
There was a pause of silence.
And Spyke, knowing what this expected silence told him, sighed.
"Okay- fine. You win. Two sets, but that's all. "
She lit up at that statement, letting out a little "yes!" in triumph.
What did he just agree to…?