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The tv crackles as I press play, placing my elbows on my knees for support as the remote rests against my cheek. I can't remember the last time I've sat down and watched a movie in its entirety, let alone one on VCR.
Something is so nostalgic about them. Blowing off the dust. Rotating the film to tighten it whenever it gets too loose. Placing them back into the plastic cartridges. Wiping the dust off of the plastic cartridges.
There's a good chance that my apartment is bugged, especially since Harry seems to know where I currently reside. It's not like I have anything to hide anymore. He's found me. The only thing I ever lied to Harry about was my place of work and my name. Everything else was true. My family. My hobbies. My personality. That was all me and still is me.
Just, now I'm a bit softer around the edges. I don't run after criminals, I don't report to anyone, I don't know about any of the new crime syndicates around the world.
I just exist. I exist in Paris and my life outside of that is dead to me. The only thing I brought with me was reminders of Kaia and of course my beloved pittie, Arrow.
Speaking of Arrow, he hops up onto the couch and burrows his more than wet nose into my thigh which makes me laugh. I'm just happy I was able to collect him from my home in England to bring with me. Now I never have to leave him behind again.
No more going deep under for months on end. No more new identities that I lose myself in before I don't even recognise who I am anymore.
It's time to learn who I am. I want to look into a mirror and recognise the person staring back at me.
"You're the goodest of boys, Arrow," I grin, moving to gently scratch between his ears. "Want a treat?" Arrow's ears perk up at that, hopping off of the couch to make his way into the kitchen. I place my hands down on the couch, pushing myself up from it so that I can follow after him.
Once I'm in my kitchen, I grab a few treats from the treat bowl before turning to face Arrow. "Sit," his tail wags as he sits down obediently, looking up at me with his tongue hanging out. "Good boy, Arrow," I grin, bending down to hand him the treat. "Alright, paw," I watch as arrow lifts his paw to hand it to me. A second treat is placed in his mouth before I just decide to give him the third and final one for being so good.
Now I'm wondering how Harry was able to get past Arrow if he did bug my apartment. So, I walk into my bedroom and rummage through the things that I have buried deep in my closet from my past. Folders containing my old identities, weapons and other things. You never know when your past is needed to look through again.
Now is one of those times.
I pull out the machine, making sure it still works before I stand up and start to walk around slowly to find bugs and sure enough the place is bugged. My bedroom, the living room and the kitchen.
I don't go too far in the living room, not wanting Harry to know that I now know for sure he's bugged the place. A little game of cat and mouse never hurt anyone and I love playing games.
