Guarding Hearts' Whimsy

Chapter 35: Guardian's dilemma

The night hung heavy, and Raven Noir, usually the epitome of composure, found himself pacing restlessly in his room. A sigh slipped out occasionally, echoing the turmoil within.
After a moment of contemplation, he decided to disturb Jake from his peaceful slumber with a late-night call. As the phone rang, Jake frantically grabbed it, half expecting some dire emergency.

"What's wrong, Raven? Are you okay? Jake's voice blared through the phone.

Raven chuckled, "No, no emergency, Jake. Just wanted to say..... hi."

There was a pause, and then Jake's voice turned from concern to annoyance. "Hi? You woke me up for a 'hi'? Seriously, Raven, I was dreaming about flamingos! Flamingos, man!"

"Sorry, sorry," Raven apologized, trying to stifle his laughter. "So, about the Velvet Scandal..."

Jake interrupted, "Raven, if you called me at this ungodly hour just to discuss the scandal, I swear I'll hack into your alarm clock and set it to blare opera music every morning."

Raven sighed, "Alright, alright, not about the Velvet Scandal. It's just... I can't sleep, man."

Silence hung in the air for a moment before Jake burst out laughing, "You, the mighty Raven Noir, can't sleep? Did someone swap your caffeine for decaf?"

Raven grumbled, "It's not about that. Something else is bothering me."

Jake, now intrigued, pressed, "Spill it, my insomniac friend. What's eating at you?"

Raven hesitated, then admitted, "It's Eve."

"Eve? Oh, come on, Raven! You're letting the heiress get to you? I thought you were made of sterner stuff," Jake teased.

Raven sighed again, "It's not like that. It's just... things are getting complicated."

Jake burst into laughter again, "Raven Noir, the master detective, tangled in a love dilemma! This is gold! You're like a character in those romance novels !"

"Jake, this isn't a joke," Raven muttered, realizing that confiding in his tech-savvy friend might not have been the best idea.
Raven hesitated before finally deciding to bare his soul to Jake. "Jake, I... I think I'm developing some weird feelings for Eve."

There was a momentary silence before Jake burst into laughter, "Oh, Raven! The stoic detective with a heart colder than Antarctica falling for the heiress!"

Raven, serious and a bit terrified about these unfamiliar emotions, grumbled, "Jake, it's not funny! I can't focus on the Velvet Scandal or anything else. Every time I'm around her, I'm like a malfunctioning robot."

Jake, still amused, replied, "You're not a robot, Raven. You're just turning into a cheesy romance novel protagonist. Embrace it! Now sleep and let others too."
Hearing that Raven cut the call.

Jake was just drifting back into a peaceful sleep when his phone rang again, and Raven's voice came through, "Jake, are you sure there's no scientific explanation for the heart doing somersaults when Eve laughs?"

Jake, exasperated but amused, replied, "Raven, it's called love. No scientific jargon can explain that."

Raven, unwilling to accept the simplicity of the answer, countered, "But what about the neurotransmitters and the neural pathways? There has to be a logical explanation for this irrational behavior."

Jake sighed, "Raven, love doesn't always follow logic. Sometimes, it's just a crazy rollercoaster ride without a safety manual."

Undeterred, Raven continued his relentless questioning, "And what about the strange warmth I feel when our hands accidentally touch? Is that a result of some peculiar atmospheric pressure phenomenon?"

Jake, now fully awake and growing frustrated, retorted, "No, Raven! That's just basic human attraction. It's been around for centuries; no need for a scientific thesis."

Raven, lost in his own musings, continued, "And when she's in danger, why does it feel like my entire world is about to collapse?"

Jake, trying to maintain his patience, replied, "Because you care about her, Raven. It's not rocket science."

But Raven, determined to rationalize everything, mused, "Perhaps it's a conditioned response triggered by my protective instincts as her bodyguard."

Jake finally snapped, "Raven, give it a rest! You're not a robot analyzing data. You're a human being experiencing emotions. Embrace the chaos of love!"

Raven continued to deny any romantic feelings, insisting to Jake, "It can't be love. She's not my type."

Jake, with a tone of disbelief, replied, "Raven, you've never had a type. You've been too busy with detective work and brooding to even consider one."

Raven, defensively, argued, "Well, she's too... lively. I need someone more stoic, like me."

Jake couldn't help but chuckle, "Oh, so now you're looking for a female version of yourself? Good luck finding that unicorn."

Raven, growing frustrated, grumbled, "It's not about finding someone like me. It's about avoiding unnecessary complications."

Jake, in a playful tone, teased, "Complications, or emotions you're not ready to handle?"

Raven, ignoring the question, changed the topic, "I have to focus on the Velvet Scandal. Emotions can wait."

Jake, knowing there was no reasoning with Raven at the moment, sighed and said, "Just remember, emotions have a way of sneaking up on you, detective."

As the conversation ended, Raven was left alone with his conflicting thoughts, desperately trying to convince himself that this wasn't love, but his actions spoke a different story.

"No, Jake, you don't understand. I can't afford to fall for her. Once the Velvet Scandal case is done, I'll have to leave, and we might never see each other again," Raven confessed, a hint of desperation in his voice.

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Next update on - 28 jan 2024