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Doctor Deputy is not particularly invested in Valentine’s Day.
It is but another usual day for her toiling her time away in her office cramped with mountains of documents. Love might be the prevailing virtue of this very day— but not for the hectic commander of Rhodes Island.
The open area of the landship’s deck has become a mini dance hall for the special day under Angelina’s request. Taking occasional breaks from work, the fatigued doctor merely oversees the fleeting figures of pairs sliding across the waxed floor. Melodies of strings echo in the room from the tiny vinyl record player in the corner, neither too melancholic nor sappy. Noir Corne and Yato make a good pair, the Doctor chuckles, witnessing the bashful duo blushing over physical touch. Perhaps she might not be that nonchalant towards such an event.
She lounges on the ledge of her office door for a little more than necessary— viewing the spice is surely more enticing than signing contracts. There she spaces out all the way until the last few couples exit the venue, soon to be left alone again in the flickering fairy lights decorations and uninterrupted record tunes.
Well maybe NOT alone. On top of that, she has never expected HIM out of all her operators to show up at this moment.
Enciodes Silverash. None other than her trusted ally, confidant AND competitor.
“Oh, is it surprising that I showed up today, my friend?” He smirks as he advances towards a startled Doctor Deputy jumping at his presence, “I believe that would be too short of a Valentine’s Day’s ball if it concludes at this hour.”
“You could have been here earlier for a partner. Don’t forget to get some sleep, Operator Silverash.” She teased in return. The unanticipated visit is always more thrilling than unwelcomed.
“As if my dear ally prioritizes sleep,” chuckling, the Feline takes the steps, reaching his dear Doctor’s office on the floor above, “and a meticulous person like you would have understood why I had not shown up or chosen a partner until now.”
“Of course. The records said you’d already arrived this afternoon. Care to tell me why, Enciodes?” She softly chortles, yet her teasing mouth is far from enough to hide her wavering fingers from brushing her hair in front of him.
“Just my invitation for a challenge, my dear Doctor.”
Challenges. She knows the word too well, especially when it comes to occasions with Enciodes. They have crossed paths in the back and forth battles of business and even in the national affairs of Kjerag. She knows his tactics like the back of her hand, and so does he. Yet never have they gotten tired of those petty moves against each other—
I’ve already gotten accustomed to him, said the Doctor to herself.
Accustomed from the very moment she saw through the reasons for his schemes in that hazy winter afternoon.
Settled was the blizzard of the Kjeragian coup. The brilliant Doctor had kept violence at bay from Enciodes’ radical plans with the calibre of scanning him completely. A skilled player of chess naturally reads their opponent well.
—
“A draw, Enciodes,” Doctor Deputy concluded the match with the strike of her black piece, “interesting challenge, right?”
The CEO of Karlan Trade grinned. For half a moment he averted his gaze so far away from the chessboard. His focus was on none other than her.
“It would appear that my luck has been quite rotten lately. I can't even win at chess anymore.” Admitting his defeat, Enciodes put away the scattered white pieces.
“But you didn’t lose,” She laughed, “I’d rather take a stalemate rather than nothing.”
“A draw could either be a victory or a loss. I used to think that anything not a solid victory would be a loss— yet I never expected you to open up a new possibility for me here.”
The snow was ashy outside the window. Not too pure nor infested with darkness.
“Another possibility?” The Doctor grew curious.
The Kjeragian warlord had long considered a peaceful ending impossible. Not anymore with her presence, though. “That doesn’t change the fact that I have won.” The sharp glint returned to his eyes once again. She would be a worthy confidant, he realized, it had been too long since he had a worthy opponent, and such a close match could truly make his heart swell.
Enciodes always knows the Doctor is the challenge herself, and he is more than happy to oblige to taking those risks.
Doctor Deputy never minded his constant teases either, nor did his novel plans shake her.
So of course she has never bothered to move away his fluffy tail laying on her lap on Wednesday afternoons they gathered for tea and games of chess. And of course he would offer her his thick jacket whenever the cold of Kjerag fazes her. And very certainly they’ve never been tired of those ‘accidental’ touches on each other’s hands when they stroll along the decks of Rhodes Island in the evening breeze—
Enciodes is more than Doctor Deputy’s business partner, and he is more than her valuable ally. Inseparably.
The daring CEO of Karlan Trade is never the man to shy away from his yearning. “I’d like to ask my dear Doctor for a favor,” The gentleman bows and gently wrapped her fingers into his palm, “may I have a dance with you, my ally?”
“How bold of you to think I am even acquainted with the strategy of ballroom jests— do I look like I’m the one skilled at dancing?”
“Underestimate not yourself, Doctor,,” Enciodes replies, his forehead slightly pressing against the back of her hand, “You should reserve some expectations for yourself to take your confidant’s challenge.”
Enciodes’ sullen gray eyes twinkle in the flashing glow. There is something more in his usually ‘dastardly confident’ countenance burning ardently in his glistening pupils; Doctor Deputy is not that blind to have ignored the most obvious of all—
The Kjeragian commander desires her more than her wit.
There are times where she questioned his integrity in his intentions regarding the fields of business. They are allies, BUT competitors too, she knows. Kal’tsit has warned her about the cunning Kjeragian businessman with a litany of nagging from time to time, she knows.
But who is she to refuse an equally tactical man? She would be lying if she denied her desire for him.
“Certainly, Enciodes.” Replies Doctor Deputy with a grin, letting her partner guide her down the dancing hall with a hand around her back.
—
Doctor Deputy is no stranger to the art of dancing.
Yet, she can’t help but tense up when Enciodes leads her to the center of the grounds. The fact that her heart flutters at his touch does not help her thrive at such a stalemate at all, despite all her yearning.
“Let’s have a dance of tango, Doctor Deputy.” Enciodes pulls the Doctor closer at the incoming accordion tune, “And why the constant tense muscles? Care to relax when I’m around?”
“Of course I know you’ll pick the most intense dance of all, Enciodes.” She complies regardlessly, hanging her arm on her partner’s broad shoulder. “Are you challenging me to put us in a position when you’re 20 cm taller than me?”
The sound of strings enters the play. “I believe in my dear ally’s abilities.” Counters Enciodes. The commanders stride in tandem at his lead, their arms hardly severed from their partner’s shoulder. “In addition, I don’t see your height as a demerit— for me.” He winks, helping to twirl her body in an octo motion.
“Just because I’m smaller than you doesn't mean I’m not to be reckoned with.” Cackling, the suave Doctor soon returns to his embrace under his lead, nudging his silk necktie with her chest deliberately sticking against his.
“And that’s naturally why I give Rhodes Island certain authority in Kjerag,” He coos, gracefully flipping Doctor Deputy to let her back face him, “but that will not make you defenseless, won’t you?”
The Silverash clan leader’s deep murmur tickles her ear in the distance of an inch, his two feet now sandwiching one of her boots. Her body softens at the shivers down her spine, at his dangerous implications of invasion as if he was to make her succumb to him—
No, it is not time for the very Doctor of Rhodes Island to fall yet.
“Rhodes Island stands firm against suspicious provocations,” the Doctor feistily kicks the floor with her other slender leg, “we’re always fully prepared, and we know you won’t really mean to wage anything major against us, right, Enciodes?”
Enciodes does not seem to be stirred by her subtle, deliberate step of her heel on his leather brogue. “Good. This is what I appreciate in an ally.” The Feline smiles knowingly, as he frees her foot to allow her to take the forward steps and lead instead. “After all, there is little on Terra capable of matching the insight of this pharmaceutical company.”
“And none in Kjerag reigns over the ingenious chess player of Karlan.” Doctor Deputy rubs her cheeks against his suit’s soft fabric. “I do enjoy a handsomely poised man in the field of strategy.”
In the roving particles from mini bulbs the only two people on the floor slide around under the late night’s cover. Neither of them focuses on the glamorous flickering above; the tender zephyrs are forgiving, revealing Enciodes’ dashing face in that dim ambience.
“You are a brilliant partner, Enciodes.” The Doctor rests her chin by the crook of his neck. “Both in combat and dance.” She has always longed for the scent of cedar wood and bergamot to linger for his skin for a while more.
“You flatter me, my ally, dancing was but a mere pastime of mine back in Victoria.” Their bodies are almost completely aligned to each other when they close into the end of the dance. “But you missed one thing:” Whispers Enciodes, lifting his palm to run his fingers down her black and red hair. “The value of the word ‘partner’ lies beyond dance too, Doctor.”
“I thought our alliance has evolved to some fruitful stage that signifies something more than trust.” His voice softens. The Kjeragian businessman’s eyes are preoccupied with the sight of her. He still manages to flawlessly twist her around his body as they dance in circles in the strumming of melodramatic piano tunes. So are her eyes fixated on his—
His fluffy silver hair is flying in the warm breezes as the night sings on. He is too beautiful for his own good. “We are long past allies,” She gasps, collaborating along with his final few steps, their limbs stretching in the dancing room of half-darkness, before finally letting Enciodes to pull her in that intimate position with him balancing her leg, his body nearly falling into her. They have already roved away from the doors of offices and the black record player in the center of Rhodes Island’s open area; the stars are by the window serenely overlooking them.
Enciodes’ eyes are even magnetic under a dome of stars. The color of ash within them is so cold normally, yet so heated at the very moment he locks into her crimson eyes. Like the winter morning snow of Turicum after an occasionally obvious sunrise, the Doctor remarks, finally freeing one hand from his shoulder to caress his cheeks.
“There should be a better term than ‘ally’ to address you, Mister Silverash.” She pledges breathily, the gaze of red telling her desire.
“Or a term that means more than ‘friend’,” Enciodes affirms, pulling her back into his arms. The Kjeragian adores the woman’s warmth more than he could articulate with his silver tongue. “You know you are supposed to call me your ‘Valentine’ today, right?”
“We have one minute left until the next day.” The Doctor scrappily mocks, having taken a quick glance at her watch, “does that even matter?”
“It doesn’t, but I’m afraid my dear Valentine can do little about that.”
Of course Doctor Deputy knows he is a ravishing man to be cherished, but there are times like these she wants to wipe that devious smirk off his bastard face.
The plan is formulated in her mind in the blink of an eye. In fact, it should be the best solution against him ever, she believes. Raising her height on tip toes, the Doctor pulls Enciodes’ face closer to her and envelopes that cunning smile into her kiss.
Enciodes is not a bit bothered. He’s more thrilled on the contrary, fervently responding to her lips’ invitation to dance as his tongue slithers deeper within the paths they cross together. He had already known his partner would get onto the hook he designed voluntarily— and he is more than delighted to oblige to her move.
“That’s a draw for the both of us.” Enciodes lands a kiss on the Doctor’s forehead once they abruptly pull their lips apart. “In this case, I should call you my partner from now on.”
Enciodes’ grip is tight on Doctor Deputy’s even after the retreat of the dance. Ended has the vinyl record’s tango finale, yet the mere presence of the two commanders together is the very music of the night itself.
“And how would I refuse?” The Doctor breaks into a smile, resting her face against her partner’s sturdy chest with his soft scent. “In this case I shall owe you nothing.”
“You do owe me one thing.”
“Do I?”
“You do need more sleep if you forget about dates this easily.”
The message immediately flashes through Doctor Deputy’s mind. Of course you chose to ask me a favor on Valentine’s night, she smirks in realization.
“Happy birthday, my dear Enciodes.”
With a toast to many more Valentine’s Days and birthdays to come, taken granted like the sun that rises over Terra’s horizon tomorrow.