𝕯𝖊𝖏𝖆 𝖛𝖚 [𝕽𝖊𝖇𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖍: 𝕹𝖊𝖔 𝖃 𝕺𝕮 𝕾𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖆𝖑𝖘]

Valentine's Day Special

UNDER THE DYING RAYS OF LIGHT, As far as her eyes could see, desecrated homes and buildings filled the landscape. The bright and colorful shops that lined the downtown had all been broken into and looted, dull husks of their former images and emptied of the sounds of laughter. The towering skyscrapers that once loomed over the city had layed utterly demolished on the ground, it was almost depressing if illya wasn't already used to it.

It had been six years since the Armageddon had occurred, She had gotten used to the brutal sight of blood and flesh. She had changed, her white hair had grown longer past her waist and how much taller she had gotten. Although at this point she didn't care much about it anymore, illya was a spy who kept a playful and friendly act; changing her appearance and making sure to cover up her tracks whenever she informed her friends. It seemed like most of the people in the base were giddy with excitement and taking a day off for this special day..

Valentines day.

illya thought it was stupid, how some humans still managed to keep hope or slack off from work in order to spend time with their significant others; Or to be more precise, the day you gift homemade chocolate hearts to your crush. This was one of the few customs some of humanity kept. She thought it was rather meaningless, it interfered with their plans and delayed their progress on work or perhaps she thought it was distracting... Oorrr maybe she just disliked being reminded of how lonely she actually was.

Her current 'Boss' told her to go home and take a break, No matter how many times she told them it was futile but they insisted. Thus, why she was here, sitting on the windowsill with the window halfway opened to let some air in. A cup of hot chocolate with whip cream and marshmallows in her hands (illya thought it was rather lucky to have some of this decent quality, with the state of the stores it would've been destroyed or tainted with blood), She silently watched the people interacting and distant sounds of laughing from below, She didn't have anything to do and she was rather bored..

The creak of the door caught her attention, snapping her head over to the intruder with caution as she hopped off the windowsill. The newcomer stared at her in annoyance and slight confusion, she felt herself relax at the sight of her friend then stepped forward. He seemed tired by the way his shoulders were tensed, dark circles under his blue eyes (illya liked to ignore the fact that he was more taller than her now.)

"You look like shit." illya snickered.

Neo rolled his eyes and sent her a glare, shuffling steps that scuff the floor. "Thanks for pointing out the obvious." He grumbled out, Oh. It was one of those moods, he hadn't had a night like this in a while. The mission he must've gotten back from was probably tiring and incredibly annoying if he was like this, or perhaps his plan didn't go the way he wanted?

Fortunately, illya had a plan this time. It might be too risky if the male disliked it but she'll try. It was a hassle, gathering everything she needed, but finally everything was in a pile in the middle of the room.

"What are you doing." Neo muttered, his eyes narrowed in suspicion as he sat on the couch.

"You'll see."

It was a lot easier when illya were younger, or maybe she had to do less because she were smaller, it had been a while so she was a bit too clumsy to her liking. Finally placing the last piece and stepping back to analyze the couch-turned-fort then grinning with pride. She had tucked herself in to her side and tried to keep herself as far from him as possible, if there was one thing she was so sure of, it was that Neo Collins didn't like being touched.

The fort had been built around him, he had kept quiet for the entire time, either too tired to protest or just didn't care.

"How childishly tacky." Neo scoffed, yet he didn't make a move to leave or walk away.

"I know...! I'm trying my best." illya crossed her arms then unwrapped a bar of chocolate she had gotten from the kitchen amidst the whole gathering of supplies for the fort, the bowl of sweets were just in reach for the both of them. She was surprised at the hand breaking a few squares off and popping it into his mouth as he pretended he had done nothing wrong, she stared at him with an annoyed gaze.

It was silent, it seemed like the two were far too tired to care. The clock ticked as minutes passed by, illya wasn't sure what time it was nor did she noticed how her eyes struggled to stay open or the way she drifted off for a few seconds. She struggled against the blurry confusion of warmth, She wasn't overheated or too cold, but everything was pleasant enough.. The comforting warmth she leaned her head on moved and roused her sleep. Wait.. Moved.. Pillows don't move.

She shifted her gaze to look, her face lit aflame out of embarrassment when she realised her head was on his shoulder. The man's movements was tensed and almost akward as if he didn't know what to do, Neo doesn't like being touched...!

"I'm sorry-" She tried to move an inch away from him while wishing to slam the back of her head against the bricks of the wall.

"... It's fine." his words were thick with exhaustion, a little more deeper and raspier than normal. He seemed like he was about to say something else but turned his head away and remained quiet, "not a word."

illya felt her heart lurch, she felt a tight rope coiling and uncoiling in her stomach as she tried to ignore how her cheeks burned. Neo pretended he wasn't letting her sleep on his shoulder, and illya pretended she wasn't there as they both continued to sit in silence.

illya felt weirdly content, she was aware of her feelings and thought it was completely useless and just another obstacle in their plans, thus why she never brought it up. But, maybe if she were to be selfish and indulge this once..

Maybe Valentines day isn't too bad.

~*~
Whoo Valentines, time to spend the rest of the day eating candy and sitting in misery/j
1070 words have fun.
• This is a lot shorter than the other chapters but oh well.
• Set in the previous time line (the one Noah remembers)