Investigating Love

The news of recent disappearances within Burrowgatory had lit a fire underneath Irvyll to hunt down any clues on the matter. While it was being tracked by a team police investigators, somebody had to get the true story out there unfiltered. While not his usual form of criminal activity, a potential kidnapping and abductions are more than good enough to keep his readers engaged.

His first clue was to check in with the Church of Sulfur. Runaways and buns down on their luck tended to gravitate towards the churches open doors for safety and shelter in trying times. Perhaps they would have seen these missing persons first, or at least had some inclination where to look for such unfortunate souls. Upon entering, he tracked down a nun and asked for any information on buns that had taken board in the church in the last few weeks. While the nun mulled over her thoughts, a different woman dressed in light pink flowing fabric approached them. 

"You. I think we need to speak." She stared down Irvyll with an expectant expression. "I have answers for your problems."

Irvyll was puzzled. Perhaps she knew about the disappearances. He thanked the nun for her time and followed the woman up a flight of stairs, deeper into the church. When they found the end of a hallway, the woman finally introduced herself. "I am Satin. I think I have the answer to your problem with love." Irvyll lost all feeling in his hands. The numb tingle rose in him like a fire that he tried his hardest to snuff to keep from hurting this poor woman's feelings. 

"I am perfectly fine. Thank you. Love is not my prerogative today. I was actually hoping to get answers about the-” Satin opened the door, pulling Irvyll inside the room. He didn't get to put up much of a fight before he was sat kneeled at a small table inside of a nook in the corner of the room.

"It will just be a brief palm reading. I promise. I feel something in you. Something that needs to get out." She grabbed hold of one of his hands, her thumbs pressing deep into the grooves and tendons. It kind of hurt at first, but he didn't really want to complain if it meant this would go on longer than it had to. "Mmm. I feel your tension. Your inner voice crying out to be heard. Your need for love is strong, and it's hurting you to suppress it."

Irvyll was a bit uncomfortable. He was sure this was just a scam or something of the like. But she was so adamant on this, perhaps he should humor whatever kind of fortune she gave him. It wasn't like she could get him to fall for the generic psychology tricks these kinds of fortune tellers use.

"Deep, personal, unwavering bonds. It is almost like a cage is surrounding your heart, and that cage yearns to capture another to keep til the end of time." Satin held Irvyll's hand tight in her own. Her eyes were closed and her forehead scrunched in her hard focus. "Your love sees you. But only feint through the walls you put up. You can confide in them, without fear of rejection."

Irvyll wasn't exactly sure what had led him here. Honestly, he only wanted to enter the Church to ask questions about the disappearances. But somehow his presence had caught the attention of a fortune teller... At least that is what he thought she was doing right now. The room he was in looked more like a mixture between a flower shop and a bookstore. The nook he was sat in had its walls lined in thin veiled fabric and shelves full of candy coloured candles. 

"Okay then, can you answer me this. What does this love of mine think about me?" He played along, not too interested in the answers. He wasn't looking for love, he still just wanted potential clues. People don't just go missing for days and pop back into existence without an explanation. 

"You are fun. You are comfortable. Despite how your outward expressions may affect others, your presence makes them feel joy and excitement. The time you spend together with them is weighing on their mind all of the time." Satin opened her eyes and loosened her grip on Irvyll's palms. A gentle smile piercing the cold expression that stuck itself to the journalist's face. "You just need to tell them how you feel. They will surely feel the same."

Irvyll sat there for a moment, contemplating Satin's words. Cupping his face in his hands, he sighed before dragging them down to get a good view at the matchmaker again. "Okay. Fine. Assuming I do all of that. What are the odds of long term success? Is this just going to be a fling for her? Or do I genuinely have a chance to..." He drifted off and shook his head in frustration. Why was he even humouring this crap. He didn't care about fortunes and mysticism, he trusted logical and psychological facts. Not whatever psychic shit this was. So why were her words affecting him so badly.

"She probably doesn't want you to feel pressured. If you want it to be a fling, she won't mind. But if you want something more, then you need to tell her that." Satin reached to her side, pulling out a deck of tarot cards. "Now, since my reading was spur of the moment, I won't charge you for that. But if you would like further counsel, my rates are-”

"No thank you. I appreciate it. But I am perfectly fine with what you've given me. Thank you.” Irvyll rose to his feet. Trying to escape this situation before she tried to pry deeper into his love life. Before he could walk away, he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

"Wait. Before you go. Take this. I promised Arrie I would give it to you before you left." Satin placed a lacy veil in Irvyll's hands. A slight smirk on her face before she turned back around to continue whatever she was doing before. 

Shock set in, and Irvyll looked at the veil with a boiling embarrassment. "You... You knew the whole time. Who I was." He wanted to be mad, but instead he felt almost relieved. It truly was psychological, the only difference is that this time. He was the one being analyzed. "Thank you. I will see myself out."

Satin chuckled as the door shut behind Irvyll. "Go get em tiger."