Chapter Text
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼
Just another day at the office. Check the clock. 9:30am
Check paperwork for the 10th time before sending it over. Answering calls from the up-above boss about a specific individual. Being angry at agent Venta for not bringing back the notes he lended them. Go to lunchbrake, drink coffee and stare at the clock. 13:06
Jay Walker wouldn’t say he is a workaholic, he just didn’t have anything better to do. Being by the office let him have a purpose to rise up and sleep through the night, yet, he yearned for something more.
The problem was that he didn’t know what.
The only thing he could consider a push was that promotion they’ve been saying all over the office. In 2 months it’ll be the promotions reunion. Every department will promote a sub-agent to agent, which allows a lot of different stuff surrounding the work hierarchy.
It all depends on who you asked what the promotion brings them. Human Resources’s Betty would say something like- they let you join the party committee. Smith by the demolition told him, and quote They let you pick what to smash. Solis from accounting said earlier that they handed you less forms for bathroom passes.
Walker grins to himself. Yeah, promotions meant a lot here, the bar was pretty low on what it meant to be an agent more than hierarchy. However, for him it meant being upgraded and being a support on field exploration. That’s what he felt he was lacking.
The bad news was that, since there isn’t going on a lot around the office, promotion was a big BIG thing. Everyone wanted to prove themself, to be proud and showoff. To prove themselves against the rest and take upon being better.
You fight against friends, foes, and everyone you know just for a tag.
“You look distressed”
He turned around, finding Pixal closing the door behind her.
“Ya think?” said sarcastically as she approached the cabinet to his left, getting a mug out.
Shrugged her metallic lips and took a sip from her mug. Pixal was promoted a loooong time ago. Walker met her when they both just arrived and paired up during an activity of paperwork diligence. Even though they were both rookies, Pixal was quickly promoted to manager of the recollection department. Yet, they stayed friends.
Pixal turned her head to him, her eyebrows drawing a sad face “Is it because of the promotion?”
Walker sided his face. “I guess. It’s always a big mess with promotions.”
She fills her cup with simple black coffee, not able to digest but mostly a social occurrence.
“Keep your head up Walker. You’re a hardworking employee, you have an outstanding handle of situations as well as quick to fill out requests. Fast learning skills and sharp understanding of your department. You have more than necessary aptitudes to earn the upcoming promotion.”
He smiled sadly. She’s such a good friend.
Pixal claimed she understood feelings yet couldn’t convey them, but he felt every single drop of sentiment from her words.
“Thanks Pix. But I can't force it through mere will power this time.” He feels his eyes worn down and slightly close, he really needed this coffee. Lightheaded and a step away from sleeping.
“This is taking a lot of my energy. Not in the good way” He leans his weight onto one leg and crosses his arms.
“Haven’t you tried anything to decrease your stress hormones? Perhaps some hobby to cope with?”
“Playing videogames makes my fingertips hurt the next day” Walker takes a sip from his coffee. “Can’t type”
Metal lips shrugged, thinking.
“Therapeutic scents? That’s been on a rise of popularity inside the building.”
“Can’t” he sighed “Allergies, that’s why I avoid sub-agent Troy”
“I thought you avoided them because you said, and quote, is a smartass about GX-P.”
Walker snorted, fun. “That too” And felt the bitter taste of coffee down his throat.
The nindroid thought again, not giving up on his friend. Apparently that caught Walker’s attention, as he turned his head towards Pixal, noticing her eyes were glowing faintly icy blue. Oh right, she was quickly promoted due to her processor. Apparently, she had such a powerful processor and fast learning skills that it would literally be a waste of talent.
After a second, she blinked and her eyes turned back to her usual emerald. “You should move out.”
He almost choked.
What.
“What”
“Yeah” She smiled, really positive by her own idea “Studies have proven that new places can cover and help the mind set up to a peaceful mindset, and clear up clutter brain space opening up for new experiences and a feeling of refreshment." She leaves her mug on the counter and turns her body towards him. “To be quite honest, it isn’t like the apartments given by the administration are any more helpful towards a better mental health.”
He stares at her dumbfounded “I mean yeah- and I don’t doubt that it works but.. Move out? doesn’t seem to be the rational decision right now.”
I don’t really have much to lose. As weird as it seems, agent Walker doesn’t remember anything from before the administration, if there was even something before that.
His apartment was almost empty, his set up was the only drop of identity inside those two walls. His sheets, his bathroom, his furniture; he didn’t pick anything and even after what it felt like years he never really arranged anything inside. Always feeling like another cubicule and not home.
“I’m sure it will be an improvement, especially noting your score credit around the office. I can arrange a special thing to set you up outside the campus from the building so you can set up in a different location.”
That made his eyes lit up. Outside the administration…
“Perhaps even try for different options surrounding nature.”
“Pixal there isn’t any nature around here.” Furrowed eyes, that was so silly. “All around here are rocks, and even that is infested by dragons and other creatures. My only option outside might as well be the city around towards-”
“The shore” Pixal smiled. Her eyes faintly icy blue again. “Living nearby the sea helps out with stress by 80%, it is also a soothing location due to the concave sounds”
He touched his chin, as if he was thinking about it. “It is an option” Of course it was! He was given the opportunity to live outside the office, even if it was discouraged and looked down, it was something he could not deny to try.
Perhaps it is his mental health whats fucked up. Maybe he won’t feel shallow any more.
“Great” Says Pixal, throwing Walker off his thoughts “I’ll send you some option to look in around … 16hrs”
Tik, tak. Tik, tak
The wall clock made noise, throwing off Walker. 13:30, lunch break over.
As Pixal started to motion towards the sink, Walker took her mug and softly pushed her. “I’ll help with that. Thanks Pix” he smiled warmly. Man, she’s such a good friend.
Pixal smiled back. “You’re welcome. We’ll meet tomorrow for more updates. See you later”.
Then his mind was a mess. He couldn’t stop thinking about moving out. All the possible outcomes and what ifs.
Wow, am I really thinking this through?
Ok, think this through then.
It was already noon and time for the night shift. The Administration never sleeps, but if an organization wants to keep working you need to have options. He was part of the day shift. Start 8am, leave 7pm. The thing about the shift it’s that 90% of workers lived inside the administration campus. Blocks and blocks of building tall upon, yet not as tall as the working building.
And all living buildings were built the same, all studio apartments with a kitchen, a bathroom and a closet. He had visited his coworkers' home, they weren’t much different than his yet they felt so much more… livid.
Once he went to an end off shift party of some human resources entirely, so it was big big. Everyone had little things that made their place *theirs*. They had funny lamps, and trinkets. Some had pictures or ethnic related stuff, some had more custom furniture, probably bought from the city by the shore. He can only remember all the emotion, all the identity that each individual cubicule had, even if they were built the same, you could tell them apart.
And suddenly he was in front of his apartment. Blank door. He looked to his left, Agent Coatl door, with flowers by the floor. To his right, Sub-agent Lagorio had a door sign.
He opened the door and found his furniture. Bare bedding, the grey and white sheets that he hadn’t changed since the apartment was given to him. Turned around to the kitchen and opened the freezer, ketchup almost done and two cans of energy drinks.
The only bit of Walker’s personality was his videogame console and many game cases all over the floor. Which, under the blue light, was a tad bit sad.
He lay down on his bed, feeling the cold and started to imagine. If he really could live outside, by the sea. That’ll be soothing, absolutely wonderful. He can already see himself walking by the sand, enjoying the salty air and his feet getting soaked just by enjoying the breeze. And apparently enjoying too much, waking up terribly frightened by his phone’s notification sound.
Pixal sent him 5 different buildings to check out. Check the time, 5:30am.
Okay, I can sleep through a little more…
And so he did, going back to the feeling of the sea. The soothing and caring sea.
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼
Next day, 9am.
Walker sends out the last report and takes a little to check out the places Pixal sent him early morning.
Let 's see…
He wanted something not that- luxurious. He ain’t that kinda pal. So it went down from 5 to 3 options, he wanted a more isolated place, yet close enough for the office to not spend much time driving. So from 3 we go to 2.
He had a dream last night, he was by a balcony just above the sea level, the breeze surrounding him as he held a cup of water. It was the first time he felt some sort of comfort, even as a dream.
First property, house by beach, two floors, 2 bedrooms.
Quite big for a single mingle like me…
Oh my first.
This was it. This was the house.
Second property, one room, kitchen and dining room together, big living and just one floor with a tall roof. But most important of all, by the shore with a balcony connecting to the sea.
Just like in my dream.
“This is it Pix! This is the dream place”
Lunchtime. He was eating a simple egg sandwich, she was having two rolls of sushi, performatively. She didn't look that good. “You sure? I mean- if that’s what you want. It- wouldn’t have been my first option if I can be honest.”
Walker’s smile faltered, “I like the balcony.”
“Short eyed decision”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever, I know what I want.”
Pixal squinted her emeralds. “Alright, it’s your place. I’ll give you a heads up for a showroom. Just to be sure”
“Time?”
“19:30 be ready.”
They settled that 4hrs back and yet his mind kept bouncing back to his dream, almost lucid. He could smell the salt air even in the commonplace. It was insane, he never thought about the ocean before but now it seemed like the only thing that mattered now.
His mind could only wander to the feeling of peace he felt the night before. The fullness that drowned in his empty chest, just relieved by remembering the way the lightness hung him above everything.
Even by his office, alone, he could only focus on the water dispenser and the seldom bubbles that floated. He could feel himself inside, and even started to relieve the movement of the waves through his body, a ghostly sensation but nonetheless a sensation.
Only being snapped woken up by Pixal knocking his cubicule.
“Are you ready?” he looked up and surely it was 19:31, punctual.
“Sure I am”.
A little drive around the city, not even inside. The location of the house (to not say cabin) wasn’t as close to the city as one would prefer. Not even a beach, a more house in the middle of nowhere just by the shore.
“Welcome!” said a woman. Grey pants, white blouse and really short brunette hair, like a bob.
Pixal parked the car not that close and as both walked closer to the house his heart started to flip in excitement.
“My name’s Royal, and it’s a pleasure to get you two around this lovely soon to-be home.”
“Hi, we’re only looking at options. Pixal” she moved her hand forward for a handshake, quickly grabbed by the broker “He’s the one purchasing, i’m merely his companion” said as she pointed to Walker, who was startrucked looking at the sea.
“Oh I see!” Royal big, bright smile was warming “A playerboy house. Well, you’ll be lucky to see that the main attraction here is the location. Houses by the beach have been increasing in popularity lately.”
“Is the area safe?” asked Pixal, clearly not content by the really deep and sudden sea level.”
“Surely it is, please come by!” Both started walking towards the house. While Walker was looking straight towards the sea and the reflection of the moon. Then watching the girls be waaaaay far, running to them.
“The location is spectacular. Since it’s close to The Administration’s surrounding area it’s not a public space, so the beach can be said to be private to a more or less sense. In addition to that, no known civilization is around the area, so it’s pretty much safe.” Royal smiled while opening the door to show the inside.
“What about the sea?” asked Walker “Can i swim there”
The broker hesitated “I mean- you surely can, however it’s not recommended. The sea level around here is really really high. Hence it can be dangerous to swim by yourself around here.” He peeked a shine by the end of the room and followed it. “Even if the water is calm throughout the year, you can never trust the sea, so it’s not recommended to be swimming, especially in this specific area that can be considered isolated.” The shine led him through the balcony.
The moon reflecting through the sea and water calmly going under the floor. The breeze hit him even more strongly than by the beach, salt and cold hitting his eyes and triggering chills. He could imagine himself waking up every morning just by the sun coming up, everything so clear and the tides forming far away as he gets hit by another breeze, warmly cold to snap him out of his tiredness.
This was the place.
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼
Even with all the sort of moving out it wasn’t such a big deal to him. Pixal was right, and his score by The Administration was high enough to purchase the house, especially due to the location and lack of requests for this house. Everything was working out just fine.
An e-mail notification popped out.
“In regards to the move out, everything that could’ve been a personal item has already been sent to your new location. You’ll need to restock your own food, I’ll send you options around.
I really hope that this change of environment can improve your efficiency around the office so you can finally get the promotion you’ve worked so hard for. Just rest and keep focus, that is the key to success :)
Att: Pixal.”
Pixal the sweetest as always. He felt so lucky to have such a great android as a close friend in this competitive and cold office. And even though he wanted to focus like she recommended he just couldn’t. All he thought about was the sea, the ocean. He yearned for it.
All day went along without any actual productive work. Just some paperwork and classifying e-mails. He was feeling so tired and just wanted to enjoy his home.
Right on time, at 7 o' clock Walker basically disappeared from the office to his car. Turned the engine on and went to a supermarket. Ordered a pizza and while waiting he browsed the supermarket, finally standing in front of the liquor shelves.
This is a special occasion.
Tried to justify as he bought a six pack. Came back for his pizza and right away to his new house. As soon as he got out of the car the breeze hit him. A never recalled calmed sooth him, his breathing became easier and his limbs less stiffen. Comfort.
And finally his first night there. Pretty chill but he will get used to it. The cabin wasn’t really furnished except for the bed and kitchen. He still had time to figure out his layout and make this house feel like a home.
He left his suitcase by the entrance, not even taking off his shoes, he just wanted to finally sit by the sea. Went to the kitchen and took a paper plate to serve himself 4 slices. Dragging a folding chair to the balcony. Sitting and munching a slice, he felt the cold breeze hit him and his back stopped aching. The sea was calm, soft waves barely touching the balcony and the light air was surrounding him almost like a hug.
Comfort was everything filling up his empty chest, finally he felt satisfied. This was the beginning of a new life, a life that he could control and start building.
By the corner of his eye he watched two pearls from the sea. Hiding among the moon shine but clearly visible for him. Two beautiful shining eyes. Watching him.
As soon as he looked their way, they disappeared.
Something was watching him. From the sea.