The Untold Story of Texas and Lappland (Arknights)

Whispered Promises

Bison stared at Lappland with widened eyes. "I still can't believe you punched him."

Texas smiled at Bison's shocked reaction, while Croissant just took another swig of her beer as if she was highly amused by her boyfriend's amusement. "I'm not surprised at all, though I'd prefer you refrain from violent displays amidst diners."

Lappland huffed at her. "You know you liked it, know it turns you on."

Texas rolled her eyes. "Like I'll ever admit that in public." Maybe the drinks from earlier were starting to have an effect. Such a brazen statement from her was hardly the norm for totally sober Texas. But drunk Texas was another story.

Exusiai chuckled, her arm slung over Mostima's shoulder. Her and Suffering had returned moments earlier. The action had seemed to improve the Sankta's mood immensely, yet Texas had no idea if that would end well. She had a terrible suspicion that it would not . . . though that had been a feeling which refused to change. Old habits die hard I suppose.

And then of course there was the teasing. "Your face is red Texas~" Exusiai grinned.

The warmth in her cheeks was further indication her friend was right, and it left her feeling simultaneously flustered and annoyed. "Shut up."

"Hahaha! Don't have a good comeback huh Texas?" Lappland smirked.

Texas growled, tail flicking crossly behind her. She opened her mouth for a sharp retort but Sora beat her to it. "Weren't we supposed to be lighting these?"

A few lanterns hung from strings in Sora's awaiting hands. There was a lilac, pink and then green. The bright, lively colors were reminders of springtime and the festivals held during the thaw of black ice and the disappearance of the brackish melted snowy water left in the gutters from prior storms. A packet of matches was tightly crushed between her fingers, the logo obscured from the rubbing pads of past fingers.

Lappland was taken aback. "I almost forgot about that. Where'd I set them?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should get more?" Texas murmured. As far as she knew Lappland had come over without any lanterns at all.

But Lappland was already searching, heedless of her words. "And there she goes." Croissant observed, snagging one of the lanterns from Sora and passing it to Bison.

"She's probably just retracing her steps." Bison pointed out.

"Likely so. Wolves are known to be hunters." Suffering murmured.

"Some more than others." Mostima chipped in lazily.

Texas hummed in agreement —not about to bother with the bluenette who would likely cause a fight before the night's end if she did partake in deep conversation with her— she watched as Lappland's head swung searchingly towards the direction from whence she came. A gleam appeared as they landed on a particular spot. And then Lappland was walking off, only to return moments later with two lanterns in tow. Texas took the one offered to her, spinning it in a slow rotation as she examined the decorations painted on. The swirling blue whorls were like rolling waves, the little lines between each segment were like the bordering shore of an ocean. They seemed to be the exact opposite of the explosion of silver stars that Lappland's bore.

"Do you like it?" Lappland asked.

Texas nodded. "Yeah. I do."

"Great! Now that we all have lanterns we can light them." Sora told the group. She had kept the lilac lantern out of her chosen three, holding out the match box in her free hand. Each of them snagged a wooden stick or two, save for Suffering who seemed entirely uninterested in the affair. Her walking off after a short word whispered to Mostima in passing was also predictable at this point yet the frown Mostima wore was anything but. Many argued Texas to be the enigma of Penguin Logistics, but those that did likely knew nothing of the bluenette.