Chương 9: Clubhouse Tour Pt.2 (End)
Contemplating Vivi's persuasive argument about the necessity of guns, Marcus found himself caught in a swirling mix of conflicting emotions. The recent events and losses he experienced weighed heavily on his mind, making him question his stance on guns.
He understood Vivi's logic, acknowledging that guns were merely tools, but he couldn't shake off the unease and trauma associated with them. A part of him yearned for the sense of security they offered, the thought of having a form of protection with him alluring, while another part wrestled with the fear of perpetuating violence.
Lost in this internal struggle, Marcus continued to contemplate the weight of it all while he walked alongside Vivi, his steps slower and his gaze distant. Walking for a few moments, Vivi led the contemplating Marcus inside the next room. Seeing his distant gaze, unfocused on their tour, she softly called his name at first, progressively getting louder until he took notice, allowing her to talk about their destination.
"This is the medical room," Vivi said, bringing Marcus out of his contemplation. He looked around, finding himself in a bright room lit by bright white lights which also smelled like medicine. Taking in the large cabinet of medical items against the left wall, the countertop with a dozen drawers along the back and right walls, and the standing monitors beside the central table covered in a thin white futon for comfort.
Vivi explained that the medical room had common items for average needs like bandages, gauze, and other essentials. However, she had to emphasize something, "Remember, we're not a hospital. If you find yourself missing an arm in the future? Don't come here," she said, leading Marcus out of the room and to their final destination.
After leaving, Vivi guided Marcus through the clubhouse corridors once again, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors as they turned a corner and approached a room. Marcus, recognizing the hallway, as the main one connected to the lounge area on the far end.
Following along, Marcus slowed his pace, noticing Vivi stopping in front of a room with an open door. Turning to him, she placed her hand on Marcus's cheek to keep him from peering inside, "This room is the control room, it is where I spent most of my days so I had the place customized personally. If you call it a mess I promise it'll be me showing you how useful the padded foam in the gym is."
With that being said, Vivi released his cheek, allowing him into the room. Unsure of what exactly she meant, Marcus stepped into the room and looked around. First noticing the polished black floor covered in scuff marks and LED lighting above that emitted a soft glow that lit the room nicely. Neon lights also adorned the walls, some slightly dimmer than others but otherwise unnoticeable to those not paying super close attention.
Shifting his gaze to the large desk that dominated the left side of the room, beside it a large tv screen on a space in the center of the wall, he stepped towards the desk first.
The surface was a glossy white with half a dozen monitors in rows of three displaying a unified wallpaper while underneath a black keyboard with glowing neon colors sat ready for use. The desk, while looking nice, was also the location where scattered drink cans, snack wrappers, and gaming controllers lay scattered around it.
"That isn't too bad," Marcus commented in his head as he looked to the wall beside the desk, opposite of the mounted tv, a compact area that was the source of the food and snacks. While it wasn't a full kitchen, it was a sleek marble countertop with an air fryer sitting atop it. It also held bowls of snacks and candy further down with a mini fridge completing the area at the end.
Continuing his inspection, Marcus looked to the more casual area of the room, the wall lined with beanbags, each designed in a different shape and pattern. While their many colors were distracting Marcus, he noticed they were positioned to face the large wall-mounted tv that was currently playing a muted music playlist.
"This room is pretty nice, I can see your vision behind the design and decoration," Marcus said as he spotted Vivi running over to one of the beanbag chairs and picking up something before wrapping it in the blue jacket that occupied the seat.
"Everything alright?" He asked, startling Vivi, who thought he would have failed to notice her. Answering quickly, a bit nervous as her face began to turn red again," Yes! Everything is fine! J-Just wait here a bit, I need to run to my room!" She said as she speedily walked out of the room, leaving Marcus dumbfounded.
Noticing she wasn't coming back anytime soon, he contemplated following her. Deciding against it, he began to peruse the snack area in the back of the room, eating some of the chocolate before deciding to tidy up the place out of personal preference.
…
..
.
In the hallway, Vivi jogged through the corridors as she unwrapped the jacket in her hands, revealing a blue and pink animal plushie. "I can't believe he almost saw! Damn it, Joan! I told you to keep these in my room!" she huffed while rubbing her hands on the plushie, the softness calming her as she continued onward.
Unbeknownst to her, Marcus has noticed her on one of the monitors that had been displaying the hallway cameras. "What a cute little stuffed animal," He smiled and chuckled to himself before continuing his self-assigned task of cleaning the place up a little.
It was his form of thanks for giving him the tour, so as Vivi made the trip to and from her room, Marcus simply gathered the empty snack bag and wrappers along with the empty bottles and cans before disposing of them in the trash can found within the countertop.
Upon her return to the room, she noticed the trash on the desk and around the beanbags had disappeared, her face becoming an awkward smile as Marcus rose from the spinning chair beside the desk. "Like it?" He asked as he took a few strides in her direction.
"I do, thank you. You didn't have to do that though!" She said as she began curling her hair around her finger after he approached. "Nevermind, Let's go, Lena told me that she's finished cooking so I assume you know as well." She happily stated outwardly, but internally was a bit sad as well, she enjoyed the time they spent getting to know each other so she wasn't the biggest fan of it having to end.
Surprising Vivi immensely as she never expected it, Marcus took her hand within his own, smiling warmly as he thanked her for the tour. Together they walked through the halls to the lounge, their hands not separating despite how sweaty both were.
Stepping back into the doorframe for the lounge, Marcus noticed a few new faces in the room as Vivi placed tall glass cups beside already plated food on the bartop. "I see you two got along well together," Lena commented instantly as she noticed them return hand in hand.
"Shut it, Lena!" Vivi retorted as she slipped her hand from Marcus's grasp and waltzed into the room, claiming one of the open seats beside a girl with brown skin, short braids held in a ponytail, and wearing a pink jacket that was similar in design to the blue one he saw Vivi walk off with earlier.
"Take a seat, Marcus, I'll introduce you to these two," Lena said, an inviting smile on her face as she gestured to one of the open seats at the bar. Marcus took the seat beside Vivi, his attention immediately drawn to the beautifully plated food in front of him. The aroma of it made his stomach grumble a third time that night.
"You're talented, Lena. This looks amazing," Marcus exclaimed, genuinely impressed by the professional-looking presentation of the dish.
"Thank you! I'm glad you like it. Cooking is one of my passions, it is something I enjoy most in my free time." Lena said, her voice beaming with gratitude at his compliment.
Leaning closer to Marcus, Vivi surprised him as she whispered into his unprepared ear, "Lena's cooking is always a hit. She's got some secret recipes that she refuses to share with anyone. She could make a fortune if she wanted."
Chucking softly at the notion, Marcus replied vocally to the information, "Well, your secret is safe with me, Lena."
Winking playfully, Lena then directed Marcus's attention to the others at the bar. She introduced the aged man with a friendly smile as Keith.
"Your kid Lena picked up? My name is Keith Renolds, but you can just call me Keith," he said, taking a swig of the mug Lena had placed beside his plate.
"Nice to meet you, Keith," Marcus replied, intrigued by the origins of the scar on Keith's cheek.
While Marcus was greeting Keith, Lena gestured toward the other person sitting at the bar. "And this is Joan. She's a close friend of Vivi's and has known her since childhood."
As he focused on Joan, Marcus instantly noticed her quiet and observant demeanor. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment before she turned her attention back to Vivi, resuming their hushed conversation.
Leaning on the countertop behind the bar, Lena stated plainly, "Joan takes some time to warm up to people. She's selective about who she opens up to. But once she accepts you, she'll talk and talk and never stop."
Nodding in understanding of her words, Marcus countered, "I'll give her space and let her approach me if she wants to."
"That's a good approach. Just relax, enjoy the food, and we can all chat more once you're done." Lena said as she walked around the bar, claiming the seat beside Keith, as Marcus focused on savoring the delicious meal in front of him.
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