Chapter Text
“Uwah~, I almost forgot, have I told you about the time my cousins buried me alive, Dante?”
Whenever I ask Hong Lu about his family, he somehow always has a new messed up story about them. Last time he told me about how they hid razor blades in his food. It gets to the point where it’s sort of comical actually.
<This consultation’s run on a bit too long, so I think you'll have to save that. You're free to go, Hong Lu.>
He chuckles and breezes out the door of my office. Heathcliff, who is noticeably not having as much fun as Hong Lu, approaches. He brushes against Meursault in the hallway and freaks out like a stray dog.
Is he abnormally angry or is he just always like that?
<Heathcliff? Any concerns you have or->
“NO, bloody hell! No, no problem ‘ere.”
He sounds like he's trying to convince himself of that too.
He also sounds like he's failing to do so, miserably.
Heathcliff sighs a massive sigh and explains.
“Clockhead, I- love Cathy, aight?”
He usually just talks about his memories with Catherine every consultation, but something feels different this time.
“And Meursault- he's, a bloody emotionless robot! The lad only knows how to follow instructions!”
Why is Heathcliff suddenly talking about Meursault, and why's it like he's at war with his own feelings?
“Love” huh…
Heathcliff’s still yapping on about all the supposed negative aspects of Meursault when it all clicks into place,
Oh.
Ohhhhh.
Now this is interesting.
Heathcliff hasn't explicitly said that he's in love with Meursault, but I personally think he's implicitly practically screaming it. Or am I overthinking? I decide to prod deeper.
<Wait. So Heathcliff, why are you ranting about Meursault right now?>
“Because, I- um. Shite, I might-”
“NO, I am not in love with Meursault! Why do we even have these bloody stupid consultations?!”
<Okay. Why do you bring up being in love with Meursault?>
I can tell he's still fighting his internal battle, but soon he speaks up, very clearly having lost.
“Clockface, uhhh… Promise not to laugh, ey?”
<Yup, I promise.> I probably already know what he's about to say anyway.
“I- bugger… I think I might just be in love with Meursault.”
Still, knowing that doesn't stop me from bursting into laughter. It's sort of funny seeing Heathcliff like this.
“What the hell? You said you wouldn't laugh!”
<I'm- sorry Heathcliff.> I blurt out in between laughs.
“But, the thing is, Manager, I don't like men, alright?”
What.
<Heathcliff.>
“What?”
<You like a man.>
I pray that whatever gods exist in the city reach into Heathcliff's brain and turn the cogs in there for him.
“Yeah but, I- I'm not gay?”
“Look Dante, I don't think you're getting it. I love Cathy.”
<Mhm.>
“Cathy is a WOMAN, mate.”
<So you like a man and a woman.>
“But that's-”
<Heathcliff. You can like both men and women.>
“... Oi Clockhead, h- how?”
<Ask Faust what a “bisexual” person is.>
“... Aight.”
<Heathcliff, you're free to go.>
Heathcliff resigns and just leaves, probably too tired to keep going. I'll have to continue the investigation of Heathcliff's bisexuality another time.
As Heathcliff leaves my office I notice something, or someone(?) squirm on the ground. Heathcliff seems too caught up in his own thoughts to notice. I step out of the office to investigate.
“Ah! M- Manager Esquire! How farest thee?”
“I was not eavesdropping on thy conversations!”
I didn't even ask her if she was eavesdropping.
<Don Quixote, why were you crouched down on the floor outside my office?>
“Ah, that was because… Oh! I had spied a creature most villainous, a poisonous cockroach! Do not fret Manager Esquire, for I have dealt with the villain!”
<Don Quixote… drop the act.>
“Ahem… I had merely wished to gather clues on young Meursault’s most auspicious ‘turn’...”
<So why are you still here?>
“Well you see… I had gotten so caught up in young Hong Lu’s tales, I had forgotten mine mission!”
I'm not even going to question why she stayed more for Heathcliff's consultation… Wait, did she overhear Heathcliff's consultation?
“Manager, come hither, I have something to share.”
I lean in and she whispers into my ear.
“I think we should help young Heathcliff and Meursault embark on their grand journey of love!”
Hm. So she did overhear Heathcliff's consultation.
“We shall be like cupids, striking love through their hearts, and they shalt live happily forever after!”
“And so, we must make young Heathcliff realize his true feelings!”
Well there's something I agree on.
With nothing else to do as the LCCB scout out N Corp. I guess I could do this.
<Sure Don Quixote, let's help them “embark on their grand journey of love.”>
She looks overjoyed and also shocked that I even entertained her idea. I'm equally shocked that I agreed but what's the worst that could happen?