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"We have got to stop meeting like this," The man with glasses spoke with humour in his tone at seeing the sword woman known as Homura Kogetsu.
"Your Creed... The man from the interstellar Union army" Her tone held some hesitation, Creed thought to himself it would be good to break the ice somehow.
"Hey you remember my name this time!" Creed smiles as he realises that he had left an impression on her and maybe this situation could be less awkward if she remembers him this time.
"Ah, saying it like that makes me sound rude but I will keep that to myself..ugh" She only just realised that she spoke out her thoughts, one of these days she is gonna find herself in trouble with those loose lips.
"Oh sorry I didn't think the small jab would make you feel awkward..." Great job Creed, the man thought to himself, it probably best to change the topic quickly.
"so what are you doing here?" Creed asked as it was the easiest and best topic change he could think of in the current moment.
"I could ask you the same, still following Elsie crew I would assume like some sort of stalker" Despite her tone indicating hostility towards the man, Homura was rather grateful that he shifted the attention away from her blunter but making sure to not voice this thoughts as it better to keep the man on his toes after all it better for him to be flustered and a jab rather than herselves.
"Stalker!? You know Elsie is a criminal and the fact I work for the iua??" Creed was so flabbergasted at the accusation he got from Homura, he didn't realise that the woman deflected the question of why she was here and instead flipped the question back at him.
"Well, she always helps us out of our troubles as well the fact she is going out of her way to stop Ziggy, doesn't sound like criminal behaviour now does it?" Homura didn't think she would have to stand here today and defend Elsie, she can't understand how the people in iua view her as such a threat. She was so wrapped up in thought she completely forgot the reason she mentioned Elsie was for a joke.
"She has committed crimes against nations and governments... Nevermind the amount of lives she ruined because of her actions' Silence was met after Creed spoke his thought, Homura honesty didn't know how to respond since Creed was so vague about Elsie crimes aside from mentioning the people she affected. She felt rather uneasy about the reasons why Creed was so vague..
"There's a reason why she got her title and why Justice is trying to bring her to justice, uh pun not intended..." Creed started speaking again, he had hoped with this statement the sword woman would understand why Elsie was seen as such a threat.
"She may be sweet to you now but how can you know that she won't betray you at a later date or involve your crew in crime she may commit" Homura noticed how cold Creed was starting to sound and how serious his body language was, his arms seemingly clenching in anger with just talking about Elise. It felt like he held some maliciousness towards Elsie.
Homura decided she really doesn't like this version of Creed.
"You don't know her, the crimes she committed" Creed continued speaking without really staying on the fact of why he even having this conversation with somebody who is fine with being associated with Elsie.
"How can you be so sure that she is your ally and not just trying to manipulate the child who is known as the demon king?"
"How do you know his title?!?" Homura interrupted, she didn't expect to hear that name utter by anybody but Witch.
"I have my source after all my job is to protect people and capture criminals" Creed honestly hoped this one sentence could end this exchange, he may like Homura but talking about Elsie always just leaves him in a sour mood and he rather just leave at this rate.
"How do you know if she isn't committing those crimes for good?" It was a simple statement Homura thought but apparently it stunned Creed as he just stared at her in shock.
Creed couldn't understand how homura could even say those words, committing crimes for good? What backwards thinking. He broke eye contact with Homura in favour of having a staring contest with the ground.
Crimes that result in something positive for the community... He suppose some of the crimes Elsie had committed has in fact had a positive effect on some of those planets as well as the community on those planets but that doesn't justify all the horrific effect she had on individuals or planets and nations that ended up as a dystopia because of her actions.
Creed was so lost in thought he didn't realise Homura walking up to him, standing shoulder to shoulder until he felt her hand on his arm. He jumped at the sudden touch. It didn't seem to phase Homura as she now got the direct eye contact with the man she desired and waited for him to come out of his fright of the sudden contact and nearness.
"Your lost in thought, I guess you thinking about what I said and how maybe Elsie had good reason for those crimes or if the rules in the iua are actually oppressive towards the people it claims to protect" Creed noted how weird Homura demeanor was, she could have easily mocked him for not having a respond to her claims but she didn't instead she talking softly and maybe saying things that Creed should disagree about but he couldn't find it in himself right now to respond or even argue against what she saying. He just wanted to hear Homura thoughts and opinions.
He saw that small smile forming on her lips.
"I don't doubt that she may have done some wrong as you said but I don't think she the type of person to betrayal people she views as allies, it not honourable" Her smile grows more as she gently place a hand on Creed cheek, he was captivated by Homura he didn't even question what was happening or what she was gonna say once she started speaking again.
"Kinda like you'
Okay that caught all of Creed's attention at being compared to Elsie of all people, jumping out of homura hold on him with how confused he was with this comparison.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!?"
She held her hand to her mouth as she tried to surpass a laughing fit into a simple giggle at seeing Creed reactions. Her laugher it rather cute Creed thought to himself but didn't stay on that thought for long as he was waiting for Homura response.
"I don't mean in person or actions, you both are very much different.'' She paused, making sure Creed's sole attention was on her. Creed didn't speak, He knew she was going to continue and didn't want to be any more rude with interrupting her.
"When we first met on foresta, you saw me as the enemy but back on the nero66 you wanted to join forces despite... Justice was it? deeming me as a part of Elsie crew by association" Again she smiled at remembering how he acted when they met again in nero66, despite... everything that had happened there.
"Well yeah we had the same goal? It only made sense to work together to achieve the same goal" Creed replied, knowing that Homura was waiting for him to say something.
"But you didn't arrest me that time now did you?" Creed couldn't tell if that slight change in her smile was a smirk or not but he didn't really care right now.
"You could have easily done so with me being off guard and having just finished a fight but you didn't" Her small smile is back again, it is getting really hard for Creed to keep looking at her with how intensely she looking back at him. He can feel his own heart beat faster and the blush that threatens to rise on his cheeks. Creed really didn't know how to reply to anything Homura was saying, her talking about him in such a positive way despite their first encounter and kept looking at him with that smile and that glimmer in her eyes.
His heart cannot take it.
"Your honourable and that one of the best qualities in anybody to have" Okay now that was compliment and Creed can feel the heavy blush on his face now, he has to turn away from Homura or he will start saying something he shouldn't say out loud or let Homura know.
"Tha... Thank you"
Silence falls on them again, Creed looking anywhere but at Homura as he needs to calm down his beating heart.
"I take it, that you weren't here for Elsie?" Homura asked going back to their original subject, she must have been giving him an out sensing his embarrassment.
"You're correct but I can't really tell you why given the information is classified" without even thinking he continued on assuming he wasn't talking out his thoughts.
"As you can see I'm not here for anything related to that pirate but thank you for earlier by calling me a stalker of hers...Ugh" Fuck. He blurted something out without thinking again.
He can hear giggles from the woman, he looks towards her and can see her laughing, he thanks mother that his spoken out thought was taken as a joke and that he didn't offend her in any way.
"Guess we are even for speaking out our rude thoughts" She finally stops laughing, smiling back at Creed for some reason having these small conversations with this agent makes her feel warm all over.
"Rude thoughts..?" oh, She must be referring to her comment about Creed mentioning their encounter on Nero66. Realising this Creed couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Homura hearing the small chuckle from Creed realise he was back to looking at her but now with a small smile on his lips to match her own, how cute she thought to herself, she quickly quiet the thought as she realise she shouldn't think like that of a person working for the iua especially with somebody she personally don't know.
"Creed! Where are you?!? You were meant to be at the meeting point by now!?!"
A rough voice was heard by the both of them seemingly the source being from Creed himself.
"Oh man, I must have lost track of time," He said to himself, completely forgetting Homura in the moment he tapped on the small device that was attached to his shoulder.
"Victory, this Creed sorry I may have gotten myself lost and got somewhat side tracked by the view" Creed couldn't help himself but glance quickly at Homura and quickly look away before she notices, thankfully she doesn't seem to notice his glance or either doesn't care.
"Mother, you're so bad at directions I'm surprised Justice hasn't assigned you a babysitter yet aha" Laughter can be heard from the speaker and a stifle giggle could be heard from the swordswoman, great now he is getting laughed at by the both of them.
"Haha funny, I will be there soon, don't worry signing out" Laughter can still be heard from the other side as Creed quickly shut off the device as he didn't want the laughter to continue at his own expense. He turned his attention back to Homura who seemingly stopped giggling a while back.
"Assuming you heard the conversation, I gotta be going but thank you for taking your time to chat" Homura saw the man start walking away from her after he thank her for the company, she knows that she should probably return back to the edens zero as they were waiting for her to finish her training before departing from this planet but she wanted to talk to Creed more and understand why he works for iua despite how it seemingly seem the iua function goes against his own character and morals.
She felt sadness at this departure, on instinct she jogged up to Creed stopping him from walking away with stepping right in front of him asking a question without hesitation.
"I know we aren't exactly friends, but do you have a way for me to keep in contact with you?"
"Huh?!?" Creed could feel the blush coming back again, he does not know why Homura would want an agent number especially considering he is working under somebody who deems her a part of the enemy.
"You do know I'm a part of the iua? I could possibly be a threat to your crew wellbeing... why would you want to stay in contact with me" Creed fumbled with his words he had no idea what he was really saying or how his tone is coming right now, he just very confused and can't believe this at all is real he must of hit his head or something and is unconscious currently.
"I know but my heart says I can trust that you won't betray me" She smiles again as she takes out her phone basically waiting for Creed to do something similar. Despite his hesitation Creed had actually held his hand forward in a gesture of asking for Homura's phone.
"I. .. Don't carry my personal phone on my person for risk of it being tracked... But I do know my number by memory" Creed really couldn't look Homura in the face anymore; it felt like he was 10 again talking to his childhood crush or something akin to that.
"I see my charm is good enough for you to give me your number" She smiled to herself thinking she didn't just say that outloud. Creed decided against commenting on it as he doesn't think he can deal anymore with Homura unwittingly flirting with him. He handed Homura phone back to her after he inputted his number but Homura noticed something that slipped Creed's mind.
"Oh I don't know why I'm surprised to find your name isn't Creed aha, the nam-" Before she could finish Creed interrupted her.
"Sorry sorry It is a habit that I usually put my real name instead of Creed, pls give it back so I can change it back to Creed!" Creed cannot believe he just revealed his real name like that, Homura really does affect how he functions dear Mother.
"Sure but I just wanted to say your real name sounds really cute," Homura said with a smile and that same glimmer in her eyes. Was she meant to say that out loud Creed thought, he can't tell anymore he was more stunned at her comment about his name. He doesn't remember anybody ever calling his real name cute.
"All done! See!” Homura shows her phone by shoving it in front of Creed's face. He could see in the contact name where his name was replaced with a dog emoji....
"....Okay I bite why did you change it to a emoji of a dog" He can't tell if the emoji was a joke or an insult
"Ah well I remember Weisz calling law enforcement dogs before plus dogs are really cute and your cute too, ugh" Homura covered her mouth as she realise the last bit was spoken out loud instead of being thought of in her head, Creed wasn't sure if her comment mean it was a insult with a compliment of being called cute or if it was just an insult of being compared to a mutt with the saving grace of being associated with something cute, although Homura calling him cute again destroyed any hope for his brain to functional normally to figure it out.
"welligottobegoingbeforevictorycallsmeagainandsendsasearchpartybye"
Before Homura could even ask Creed to repeat himself to hear him more clearly, he honest to Mother started sprinting to his original destination before he faints from how much he was blushing, however he was still in earshot to hear what Homura ended up shouting at him as a farewell.
"I hope we meet again!"
Despite him running he couldn't help the smile forming on his face with hearing the girl he was crushing on wanting to see him again, maybe this crush could go somewhere. This was one of the few hopeful moments he wished would actually turn into something good.
Homura eyed where Creed was heading off to, she looked back to her phone and decided to quickly take a selfie then send the photo to the number Creed registered in her phone hoping that the picture would indicate that the unknown number messaging him was the sword ladyl he was talking to. She smiled again thinking of the potential next meeting with the man as she headed back to her friends.