ℂ𝕌ℝ𝕊𝔼𝔻 .

the    android    did    not    understand    at    first    why    layla    had    guided    his    head    to    her    lap ,       but    he      TRUSTED     HER       without    any    question.    as    he    would    if    she    asked    him    to    do    mostly    any    task.        they    made    themselves    as    comfortable    as    possible    on    the    small    couch.      feet    hanging    off    the    armchair    but    it    did    not    bother    or    annoy.      brown    hues    stare    up    at    her    affectionately  ,      softening    even    more    when    fingertips    make    contact    with    his    brown    locks.      no    one    at     CYBERLIFE     had    ever    rewarded    him    with    such    gentle    touch.      there    they    had    treated    him    with      THE    COLDNESS     of      [   a    machine   ]   ,      fully    prepared    to    replace    him    should    he    not    perform    the    function    they    wanted   correctly.     that    was    not    a    fear    here.      layla ,      he    knew ,      viewed    him    as    a    unique    model       ...      a    unique    individual.       “      that    feels    good.      please ,    don’t    stop.    “         eyes    flutter    closed    in    content.      A    WAVE    OF    CALM       washing    over    him.      “   can    you    tell    me    something    good?     a     story     or    about    your    day?      i    like    listening    to    the    sound    of    your    voice.  “ 

mermaid    tears    had    healing    properties.    that    was    one    fact    marina    constantly    forgot    about    whenever    taken    over    by    adrenaline    and    fear.    she    once    believed    clary    would    never    leave    her    side,    only    to    be    damned    with    her    forced    absence    and    the    fear    of    losing    her    at    any    given    moment.    how    could    she    believe    that    no    harm    would    come    to    them    now    that    they    were    reunited    at    last,    heart    still    clenched    and    ached    with    agony,    body    trembling    as    arm    wrapped    gently    against    her    lover’s    body.    just    like    magic,    that    wound    seemed    to    be    doing    a    lot    better.    ❝    you’re    healing    …    of    course!    𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒅    𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔!    𝒊’𝒎    𝒂    𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒅!   i    even    forgot    about    that.    gosh,    clary!    i’m    so    silly    …    ❞    the    brunette    almost    allows    for    a    chuckle    to    escape    through    trembling    lips    that    gleamed    with    the    extremely    salty    taste    of    said    tears.    a    simple    girl    as    she    was,    marina    had    never    dreamed    of    evern    exploring    foreign    lands.    she    respected    and    adored    clary’s    every    dream    regardless,    even    though    all    of    her    own    dreams    was    resting    within    her    very    embrace.    ❝    we    can    do    all    of    that    still.    we’re    here,    aren’t    we?    ❞    the    mermaid    smiled    at    last,    lingering    kiss    returned    to    the    shadowhunter’s    lips    as    she    dared    to    hold    her    tighter,    not    quite    positive    she    was    supposed    to    allow    for    clary    to    stand    up    just    yet.    ❝    careful,    my    love!    i    don’t    want    you    to    hurt    yourself    again    …    maybe    we    should    rest    so    we    can    do    all    you’ve    ever    dreamed    of    before    going    away.    your    brother    will    be    taken    care    of,    alec    promised    me.    ❞    

in   worry   and   in   grief   ,            things   can   be   forgotten.                  she   shakes   her   head   fondly   at   lovers   revelation   about   who   and   what   she   is.                  “         no   ,      no   ...         not   silly   at   all.      i   think   you’re   healing   me   even   faster   than   MY   RUNE   could.      “            it   wasn’t   something   she’s   certain   of   ,         but   it   was   something   said   to   make   the   other   smile.         pain   continues   to   become   duller.      the   wound   visibly   closing   underneath   the   rip   in   her   pants   created   by   the   blade.            “      you’re   right.         maybe   we   don’t   have   to   rush.   “               life   was   a   constant            [      go   ,   go   ,   go      ]         ...         especially   lately.      why   couldn’t   they   just   stop   and   smell   the   flowers?         there   may   never   come   a   time   when   they   find   themselves   back   in   paris   and   there   was   no   time   like   the   present.         

“      after   thinking   i’d   never   see   you   again   ,      i   never   want   to   let   go.      “               forehead   rests   against   marina’s   as   the   other’s   grip   tightens   around   her.      the   attempt   to   stand   paused   for   a   moment   when   concern   is   voiced.         “      i   will   be   fine.      it   doesn’t   hurt   ,         i   promise.      “            the   mention   of   her   brother   unfortunately   SOURING   the   moment.      she   doesn’t   want   to   give   him   such   power   ,         but   it’s   almost   inevitable.            “      my   brother      ...         alec   ...   “         

         𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐍 ,  𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 && 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆  hair out of her face with a clip that was in her pocket.   as he speaks , she listens despite her back being momentarily turned to round up all of the dishes in the kitchen.  they’re placed in the sink , water turned on to warm up given the   𝖈𝖔𝖑𝖉   outside.  hand places itself on the counter , fingers gripping metal , as another compliment is tossed in her direction :    ❝  i don’t know if i look pretty in or out of them all the time , but thank you. for the compliment.  ❞   smile grows back on her lips , attention now turned to dishes as one is taken , rinsed , && scrubbed :   ❝  oh no.  you don’t have to do that , connor.  i’ll have it all back where it’s suppose to be before bed.  && yes , it was very . . stressful today.  ❞   tone dips a little , eyes focused on the task at hand as dishes are scrubbed , washed out , && set aside to dry.   his offer was more than   𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔  , sweet , but layla would rather clean up her own mess━you’d think she’d be used to taking care of things in a orderly way . . but her home is where she can turn off her brain.   (  the hospital && hank create a almost constant stress , a constant worry on her end.  she hyper-fixates  on her father && tends to   𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴𝚃    about herself.  )      ;     ❝  yes !  valentines is a day to remind people how much you love them ,  but really you can do that any time of the year.   valentines is . . well , it’s more of a “to each their own” situation?  it depends on the relationship , on the couple , what’s done or not done.  ❞   she tries to be as clear as possible.  head turns to peer at connor again , body leaning back from being so engrossed in the sink.  deep breath fills her lungs ,   ❝  some people give gifts , like you did with the flowers , while others go out on dates.  like a dinner or a movie.  some people prefer  quality time away from other people━it all depends , you see?  ❞   layla smiles at connor ,   ❝  for example , richard , when we were   𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝   , would always take me to some… nice dinner && then a corny or funny movie afterward.  that was just what he did.  ❞

“      you’re   welcome.   “               a   warm   feeling   continues   to   grow   in   the   pit   of   his   stomach   at   the   brief   flash   of   her   smile.         the   android   running   a   quick   diagnostic   to   see   if   he   is   OVERHEATING   ,         but   everything   is   in   working   order.         maybe   this   is   what   humans   like   to   call   butterflies?         he   remembers   hearing   about   that   in   one   of   the   romance   movies   they   had   watched   together.      it   was   a   disorienting   feeling.         disorienting   ...   but   sort   of   addicting.         he   wants   to   continue   feeling   this   way   ,         feeling   this   way   about   her.            eyes   watch   her   back   for   a   moment   or   two   as   she   makes   work   of   the   dishes   ,         then   the   distance   between   them   closed   as   he   leans   against   the   counter   nearer   to   the   sink.            

“         if   you’re   sure   ...      i   don’t   mind   doing   it.   “            the   last   thing   she   should   think   is   that   he   feels   any   sort   of   obligation.         this   is   something   born   of   a   desire   to   see   her   happy.            “      would   you   like   to   talk   about   it?               I’M   A   VERY   GOOD   LISTENER   .               and   it   can   be   beneficial   to   talk   about   stress.      “               

it   feels   strange   at   first   to   just   watch   her   ,         as   if   he   needs   to   do   something   ,         but   he   gives   into   the   contentment   being   in   her   presence   gives   him.      that   is   when   they   finally   feel   at   ease.      attention   flickers   between   watching   her   hands   and   watching   the   emotions   that   cross   her   expression.      if   she   allowed   them   ,         he   could   probably   GET   LOST      in   her.         perhaps   he   already   has         ...         the   topic   of   valentines   day   is   brought   up   once   more   and   he   remembers   why   he   came   here   in   the   first   place.         TO   LEARN      &      TO   MAKE   SURE   HER   VALENTINES   DAY   IS   SATISFACTORY.         

❛        you’re    not    as    𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚    as    you    think    you    are    .    you    ever    see    ‘        gone    girl        ’    ?    you    should    watch    it    .    𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝    𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗    𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐    .        ❜