Chapter Text
[Tracy's POV]
My name is Tracy Reznik, I am what you could call a decoder here. I love gadgets and I especially love… no… I love to create new inventions!!!
It's been a long time since I've been in this manor, I get along with quite a few people here. Let me introduce them to you…
Luca is my oldest friend in the manor, he likes to play with electricity (quite literally) as much as I love to play with gadgets, that may be what brought us together. He admitted to having a crush on me after a long time but I didn't feel the same, he must have moved on though, he had to stay quite distant from me which I understood, I casually told him "see you later!" and he came back a few months later, I definitely greeted him with a heartfelt hug. It must have been hard to move on from such feelings, especially that I was his first crush… We still laugh a lot together and he's like a brother to me, we both look out for each other. I love him dearly.
Demi is another friend of mine, we tend to discuss a lot, we often see each other to drink. One day we drank red wine, her absolute favorite, not my cup of tea if you ask me but it's cool to spend time with her. She often speaks to me about her romantic interests, whether it be boys or girls. She even asked me whether I liked boys or girls. I obviously love guys… She kept on calling me a liar though. Her gaydar perhaps wasn't properly working at the time…
Emma simply is a ray of sunshine and one of the happiest people I have ever met. She sparks joy and makes the whole room flourish with her charming personality. We are not that close, I may admit, but every bit of conversation I've had with her was so lighthearted and carefree that I could only want to protect such a flower of a human.
Helena is my best friend, I met her a bit after I met Luca… She is not like any of my friends, she's… unique, her aura is recognizable from miles away. She has been blind since she was 1 year old and she surprisingly is better at decoding than me despite that! Her hearing is extremely developed and she has an amazing potential. She is one of the most understanding people I have ever met. I love to decode with her although it makes it slower, I really value the time I spend with her… She cheers me up when she feels how terrified I am about my teammates getting wounded, she can see through me really well… I even wonder if she reads my mind sometimes, she has an unknown power, she just needs to put her hand on my shoulder to calm me down. Her melodic voice soothes me and I often surprise myself daydreaming about her, she sometimes looks confused about my reactions, she can sense it really well too. Her presence calms me down, and everyone sees us as the perfect duo and relies a lot on us to decode in games, we've been through so much together… I just care a lot about her…
To come back to what's going on today, I don't have any games planned for me today so Demi asked if we could hang out and this time she told me to come to her room, which I found odd since she usually hung out with me at the bar.
She called today the “Girls’ Talk Day” which confused me and made me suspicious of what she was thinking about. Why a girls’ talk? What was she talking about? Why only girls, why not guys too? Why do we hang out in her room this time? All of those questions rushed in my brain like electricity and I lost track of time. I came back to my senses after thirty minutes to realize I was lost in my thoughts, I looked at the time… Oh god… I'm gonna be late….
I ran as fast as I could to Demi's room that was at the other side of the manor. Being physically weak, I ended up panting when I finally got in front of her room, I rang the doorbell and nervously waited… I had a weird feeling about this… I heard her usual steps on the wooden floor from the other side of the door. The steps were getting closer until the door she quite beautifully decorated was opened:
Demi : Heya Reznik, come!~
Tracy: Hi Demi! Uhhh… Why do you still call me by my last name and… why did you invite me to hang out here? (visibly confused)
Demi: Woah there!! Let me process your questions…
Tracy: Let me guess… You drank without me.
Demi: Noooo~
Tracy: You did. (pouts) You told me you were going to drink once I was here…
Demi: Okay… I admit... (raises her hand) Sorry Reznik… Come inside though!!
Tracy: Right!
We both entered her room, there were bottles everywhere, as I expected the room from a barmaid to be filled with.
Demi: So….
Tracy: So????
Demi: Shhhh let me finish (faked being angry).
Tracy: Okay, Okay (giggles).
Demi: Are you really sure you only like guys?
Tracy: Yeah…? We talked about this earlie-
Demi: I don't believe you.
Tracy: Why won't you?
Demi: The only time I ever saw you crushing was on a girl. Hmpfh. And this girl was not me, your friend.
Tracy: Quit messing around, who do you think I crush on?
Demi: Reznik dear, do you really think I'm going to tell you such info?
Tracy: Come on… why did you even mention it then?
Demi: To avenge the fact you didn't crush on me… Come on… I'm hot, I'm kind and I care for you.
Tracy: That's really nice of you but… I like guys and… you don't crush on me either, why would you bother?
Demi: It would've been exciting to be your first crush, you can't understand that…
Tracy: You never cease to amaze me with your honesty, BOURBON.
Demi: Why the sudden last name calling, Reznik?
Tracy: As if you don't do the same…
Demi: Okay, okay, you got a point (giggles).
The doorbell rang.
Tracy: Huh?
I was extremely confused. Why was Demi smirking at me? She has to give me explanations…
Demi opened the door to Fiona, Emma, Emily, Martha, Patricia, Vera and… Helena.
Tracy: What are you all doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in games?
Emma: It got cancelled! (smiled)
Tracy: Right… Demi, what is going on?
Patricia: It's the Girls' Talk day!
Tracy: Oh… That was what it meant…
Emily: Yeah, long time no see, Tracy!
Tracy: Hello! (smiles)
Martha: Fionaaaaa where are you?
Fiona: Hahaha I am right here!
Martha: Stop putting portals everywhere and give me a hug (fake cries).
Fiona: Fine, fine.
Fiona gave a hug to Martha. I looked at them giving each other hugs and started to daydream about if I could hug Helena like that… What was I thinking???? It's nothing, just a thought, nothing else.
Tracy: Helena!!!! I missed you!
Helena: Oh Tracy! I missed you too, have you recovered from your last match?
Tracy: Yeah! Thanks to you! I really appreciate that you have taken your time to calm me down!
Helena: We are the decoder squad after all (giggles).
Tracy: You're right! My decoding partner!!
"Partner"... I like the sound of that…
Demi started to look at me as she was discussing with the others and gave me a wink… I didn't get it. I can't get it. I tried to ignore it as I was having a valuable time with Helena, she's important to me, alright?
Helena: (giggles) what a funny nickname!! You're as creative as always!
Tracy: Thanks! (smiles and blushes)
Demi looked right at me as I was having a conversation with my…uhh Helena, I started to behave very awkwardly from that and as much as I wanted to hide it from Helena, she knew that my attitude was off.
Helena: Is there anything?
Tracy: Nothing special.. (blushes slightly)
Oh no… I am not blushing, what is that supposed to mean?
Helena: I feel the heat coming from your face, do you have a fever?
Oh shit, I am blushing.
Tracy: No, no, I'm fine! I swear!
Helena: If you say so, Tracy, so what do you wanna do?
Tracy: Just spend some time with you, nothing more than that.
Helena: Alright! (smiles)
We both were having a peaceful time while we were being surrounded by all the different conversations around us but I didn't pay attention to that, I was with Helena after all but my dreamy state was interrupted by Demi Bourbon. She came with drinks.
Demi: Hey!!! I got you drinks!
Helena: But I am…
Demi: Yes, I know you're underaged and I have something else to give to my underaged clients, here is some juice!
Helena: Thank you! (smiles)
Demi: And for you, Reznik. (smirks)
Tracy: Thank you…
I have a bad feeling about this, I really have a bad feeling about this. Why did she smirk? What the fuck is going on through her drunk mind? Whatever.
Helena: Ohhhh, that grape juice is delicious!
Tracy: (giggles) She's preparing you to the adult drink!
Helena: I guess so but wouldn't it be weird for me to be drunk or even tipsy?
Tracy: Maybe, maybe not. Most likely.
Demi: Very likely~
Yikes… What are you doing Demi…
Tracy: Hahahaha….
Helena: Hey Tracy, want to go somewhere else?
Tracy: Sure!
We both moved to another part of Demi's room. We stayed silent for a while.
Tracy: Hey…
Helena: Yeah?
Tracy: Can I… give you a hug?
Helena: *giggles* What a question, of course! You don't need to ask, you know that, right?
Tracy: Right!
We hugged each other, it felt like paradise, like everything in my life was fulfilled, like I didn't need anything else.
God, I love her… as friends! Yes it is such a friendly hug that you do to your dearest friend. I like guys.
I saw Demi smirking as I was hugging Helena in the corner and I suddenly stopped the hug.
Helena: Is there anything?
Tracy: …. Oh! No, don't worry 'Lena! Thank you for the hug!
Helena: No problem, do you want to join the others?
No… I don't want to… I want to stay with you and only you alone…
Tracy: Yes! (smiles) Might as well make the best time out of it!!
Tracy… What are you doing? There is nothing to prove, you like guys and that is it.
Helena and I both went to the whole group anyways and Demi kept on staring at me, I didn't like it, I decided to be straightforward.
Tracy: Hey Demi, stop staring at me so much…
Demi: why not~ I'm your friend after all (smirks).
Tracy: It's making me oddly uncomfortable.
Demi: Got it, Reznik, I'll be more discreet next times~
Tracy: THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER
Fiona: (giggles) you both seem to really get along.
Patricia: You're right, you're right (laughs).
Martha: I would've been uncomfortable too. I feel you, Tracy.
Tracy: Thank you, my savior (fake sobbed).
Martha: It's nothing! (finger guns)
Vera: Sorry for the sudden interruption but this place has a strong smell of alcohol, can I use my perfume?
Demi: Okay but not a lot then, Vera-dear
Tracy: Wait… Why am I the only one that you call by the last name?
Demi: You're special (winks).
Tracy: You're so weird, maybe that's why we're friends.
Demi: Says the gadget lover that doesn't even realize she likes girls.
Tracy: What are you-
Emma: Woah YOU LIKE GIRLS??? That's so cool!! The only sapphics I've ever known here are Demi, Mary and Michiko!
Tracy: That's not it!!! I like guys, it's just a misunderstanding. Demi is drunk and like usual, she says things she didn't think through…
Demi: This time I did!
Tracy: How many times have you said that while being drunk?
Demi: Come on… I'm serious this time!
Everyone laughed.
Tracy: Give me one reason to believe that statement, BOURBON.
Fiona: Yeah Demi, she's not wrong there.
Demi: So..
Martha: So?
Everyone was waiting for Demi to answer.
Demi: You all are making it less funny.
Demi sighed. Okay that is quite unusual of her, wow. She never did that.
Demi: Fine. Tracy, I never saw you act around guys the way you act around girls.
Tracy: IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!
Demi: Okay, have you ever crushed on a guy?
Patricia: Now that I think about it, you never spoke about crushing on a guy before.
Tracy: I didn't-
Demi: But you crush on a girl right now.
Tracy: I told you I don't, I don't crush on-
Demi: Who?
I was about to say Helena, shit. No way. I can't crush on Helena, we're best friends and I don't think she would like me… but why would I care since I don't crush on her… I looked at Helena, being silent and peacefully drinking her grape juice during the whole time.
Tracy: Nobody!
Demi: Alright, I know you won't admit it, I drop it. See that as a generous act from me, Reznik.
Tracy: Whatever…
Demi: Who wants more drinks?
Helena: Me, this grape juice is really good!
Helena is quite cute… wait .. what am I saying???? I must be tired..
Tracy: Hey, I got to go prepare myself for tomorrow, I'm quite exhausted.
What is wrong with me??? Tracy, you like g-u-y-s… GUYS. Not girls, and Helena on top of that… She may not even like girls herself but… why would I care, I like guys anyways… I NEVER CRUSHED ON A GUY but I just know… I must be tired, after resting, I will feel better
Helena: Tracy? You have been acting weird for a few minutes, are you sure you’re okay?
Tracy: *giggles* I’m fine! I’m just tired, I gotta go anyways, bye!
I walked away from Demi’s room without telling anyone else “bye”.
Fast forward to when I came back to my room, I directly fell from exhaustion in my bed. What a long day. I hope Helena is alright. It’s normal to care for a friend… Even for me… I guess? Maybe it’s more… What are you thinking, Tracy???!!! I should really sleep, I am going insane. Good night me.