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Seven knows that telling her about the CCTV feed was a good, honest move. If there was a camera in his living space, he would want to be told right away. He wanted her to feel as comfortable as she could in Rika’s apartment, so he didn’t want to be keeping that secret away from her. He was already keeping too many secrets from her anyway.
Telling her about the CCTV wasn’t a mistake for the most part. She would know that someone was watching her to make sure she was safe 24/7. If something where to happen to her, Seven could react in an orderly manner and get to her as soon as possible.
Telling her about it wasn’t a mistake, but turning it on? Turning it on was a big mistake. Every 2.35 seconds, he would catch himself looking at the, mostly empty, hallway of Rika’s apartment in hopes of catching a glimpse of her. It distracted him from his agency work, RFA work, and catching the dangerous hacker that had led her there in the first place. He couldn’t get anything done.
He almost considered turning it off, but all thoughts on that had vanished when she decided to call him one day for a little chat.
He doesn’t remember much, just that he had said a joke, she laughed, and he had asked her to wave at the camera.
Did you want me to put on a little show for you? She had asked him. This had been in a playful tone of course.
He remembers his face feeling hot, and his mouth going just a little dry. “Please keep this PG-13!” he had replied quickly. And with his response she had laughed.
What’s wrong? God Seven’s getting a little flustered?
Yes, that was exactly what he was getting.
He wasn’t going to turn off the camera now.
Since then, she had started walking up and down the hallway in view of the CCTV more often. Every now and then, she would look up to wave at the camera. Whenever he caught her doing so, he would do the same, even though he knew she couldn’t see him.
It was one of those slow days. Seven could have been working on his work for the agency, but he decided not to. “I could finish this later tonight,” he mutters to himself, thumbing through manila folders, expecting each one for a few seconds before putting it back in a messy pile on the floor.
His eyes dart to the screen displaying the hallway. She hadn’t been in his sight all day. “Probably sleeping,” he says to himself. He checks the time in the corner of his laptop screen. 1:21 PM? According to his observations, she should have been awake, like, two hours ago.
Before he could even stop himself, he’s whipped out his phone from his pocket. His fingers are tapping away, their destination stopping at call button. I should let her sleep more he thinks to himself. He reminds himself that he saw that she had gone to bed at a pretty late hour doing who knows what. I should really add a camera in the living room the next time I make security updates there.
He makes a mental note for himself to do just that. I should probably add one in every room. But he shakes that idea from his head. People needed privacy. How weird would that be if someone found a camera in their bathroom or bedroom? Really weird.
He lets out a breath before tapping the green call button on his screen.
One ring.
And another ring.
Followed by another ring.
Followed by one more ring.
He hears the familiar click of her answering the phone. Hello? Her voice says, still groggy from having just woken up.
Seven already knew she had been sleeping, but he decides to feign surprise. “Oh! Were you still sleeping? At such a late hour?!”
His fake surprise is rewarded with her laughing softly on the other side of the line. There’s nothing more I love than hearing God Seven’s voice first thing in the morning!
Red creeps on his cheeks. She’s just playing along. He clears his throat before speaking. “God Seven is always here to bless you! By the way,” he pretends to add as an afterthought, “can you go out into the hallway? I want to make sure you’re safe.”
He hears her moving, sheets ruffling, and a light pat, pat, pat against the carpeted floor. He’s already watching the camera when her form moves in. Her hair is messed up, but she still looks cute waving at the camera.
“I know you can’t see me, but I’m waving back! Can I see your smile?” the last question slips out of his mouth without him thinking about it.
And she does smile. It’s a devious one at that. My offer for that little show still stands she coos into the phone, making his back shiver.
“Hey! What did I say about saying stuff like that?!” he whines.
Her smile turns sweet as she makes her way towards the direction of the kitchen. Seven runs a hand down his face in hopes to stop the blush.